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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22966768">Toon Force vs the Fatal 5</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14'>PerkyGoth14</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Justice League - All Media Types, Legion of Super Heroes - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:34:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>36,195</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22966768</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after Reign of the Supermen. Atticus and the others are now finally close into finding Atticus's long-lost parents who have long since been gone since his adoption by Clark Kent/Superman. While they have a chance to finding the missing parents, the group gets hit by a force called The Fatal 5 and other strangers while trying to solve Atticus's long-lasting family secret.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a truly bizarre afternoon for our group. For the past four months, they had been training under Drell to try and find Atticus' missing parents to rescue them from King Sombra and his villainous allies, but the villain of today was the weirdest of all: the Music Meister, who apparently had the power to make people obey his orders and talk-sing whenever he sang.</p><p>"So... Can we go now?" Cherry asked as she stood with the others. "We should really get going."</p><p>"Hmm..." Drell paused as he took out his timer. "I guess you guys have been here for a while... All right. You might as well run along."</p><p>"Score." Lionel smirked.</p><p>"See ya." Atticus said.</p><p>The group soon went off to leave the Other Realm gym.</p><p>"Oh, uh, my weekly clue?" Atticus asked as he briefly came back.</p><p>"Huh? Oh! I can't believe I forgot," Drell chuckled. "Man, that probably would've killed you to wait an extra week until you get the next piece of the puzzle, huh?"</p><p>"Yeah, yeah..." Atticus said as he tried to be patient.</p><p>"That would probably feel like murder." Drell smirked as he delayed a bit.</p><p>"No, you think so?" Lionel asked. "Also, you're stalling."</p><p>"Oh, am I? Gosh! I'm out of touch today." Drell replied.</p><p>Atticus took out a pillow and screamed into it from the suspense.</p><p>"Here you go." Drell said as he took out the next clue.</p><p>"Ugh... At last, after 10,000 years..." Lionel muttered as he took it.</p><p>"Why do you torture us so?" Atticus groaned a bit.</p><p>"At least it's worth it," Drell replied. "The puzzle should make more sense once you have this piece."</p><p>"Thanks, Drell," Atticus said. "I'll put it together after this villain is stopped."</p><p>"Yeah, just in case though, get some sort of ear plugs so you don't get forced to sing along with the song." Drell advised.</p><p>Lionel snapped his fingers, plugging everyone's ears with headphones. "Done and done." he replied.</p><p>"All right," Drell said. "Run along now."</p><p>"What?" The group replied.</p><p>"RUN ALONG NOW!" Drell repeated a bit louder.</p><p>"Fun thong bow?" Cherry asked. "Drell, what you do when we're gone is your own personal business."</p><p>Lionel wrote something on a sign and held it up. It read <em>"He says we can go now"</em>.</p><p>"Ohh..." The group replied as they left.</p><p>"Kids these days..." Drell rolled his eyes a bit.</p>
<hr/><p>They soon left Atticus's closet as Atticus placed the puzzle piece on the board before they changed their clothes to meet the older heroes who would be waiting for them.</p><p>"We're on the way," Cherry said as she texted Batman. "How are Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Aquaman?"</p><p>"They seem to be hit already," Batman texted back. "Wear ear protection."</p><p>"Got us covered." Lionel remarked.</p><p>"Thanks for letting me come by the way," Atticus said as he lifted up a headphone flap which had the others do the same to hear him. "I guess I could use a little fresh air."</p><p>"Yeah, same here," Lionel replied. "After that whole fiasco with that Hush weirdo, I'm glad things are brightening up a little."</p><p>"That was a dark time indeed," Atticus remarked. "Especially with Cherry's parents. I wish I could've helped them with their problems because they seemed like really nice people whenever they didn't have arguments with each other."</p><p>"Especially when they came to visit on her birthday," Lionel nodded. "I thought they seemed so nice... And that her father was going to gut me like a trout for dating his daughter."</p><p>"I guess they just had some issues they couldn't help behind closed doors," Atticus sighed. "You gonna be okay, Cherry?"</p><p>"I love my parents very much, but this might be for the best," Cherry replied. "Especially since I live with Aunt Selina now."</p><p>Lionel nodded. "It's nice living there."</p><p>Atticus gave a small smile as he slipped on his mask.</p><p>"Let's go." Cherry said as she did the same.</p><p>"Right!" They agreed as they dashed off.</p>
<hr/><p>And so, the team headed off to fight the Music Master. Batman hid away with his own little Bat Plane as he took a look at what was going on with the others who were at a warehouse.</p><p>"So, what exactly is our plan here?" Bat-Mite asked.</p><p>"Well, he's clearly up to something with his music and singing," Batman told the kids. "Though I'm not fully sure what just yet."</p><p>"It looks like a musical alright." Lady Gothika collected.</p><p>"Yep. Any more and we might just win a Tony award!" Bat-Mite added. "So let's go bring down the curtains!"</p><p>"If you guys are ready, we'll try to stop him." Batman advised.</p><p>"Let's get this over with." Lady Gothika replied.</p><p>"Agreed." Saiya Man nodded to them.</p><p>They soon dashed off as the Music Meister had a reign of terror with those involved, including some villains as he seemed to put them all to work.</p><p>"Keep on working, to complete my plan!~" sang the Music Meister. "In order to put an end to the Batman!~"</p><p>"This concerto of crime is over!" Lady Gothika glared as she appeared.</p><p>"Ah... The Baby Bat..." The Music Meister smirked. "I'm sorry, but my work's not quite done yet!" he then tried to shoot at her.</p><p>Lady Gothika dodged and ducked on cue before grabbing a hold of him.</p><p>"Well done." Batman approved of her new skills.</p><p>"And now, for your final number, Music Moron!" Bat-Mite added. "For I am the terror that flaps in the night... I am the jolt of lightning from the skies themselves... <strong>I AM DARKWING... DUCK!</strong>"</p><p>"A duck, huh?" The Music Meister raised an eyebrow with deadpan.</p><p>"Yeah, that's right!" Bat-Mite remarked. "And I'm quackin' up your evil plans once and for all!"</p><p>"Oh, great... Gorilla Grodd, Black Manta, and Clock King." Saiya Man said as he saw the villains at the scene of the crime.</p><p>"Well, it's good to see you, Bat Family and Superman's brat, I'm sorry, but my work's not quite done yet!" The Music Meister told them before he began to sing which made the heroes and villains surround them with menacing snapping. "You better tow the line you see, because your wills belong to me, And now my friends, you have the chance... To show your pals how well you dance!~"</p><p>"I'm afraid I have two left feet." Lady Gothika said as she attempted to dance fight against the villains who were there.</p><p>"Then it looks like I'll have to guide you!" Bat-Mite replied, morphing into a flamenco dancer next to her. "Trust me."</p><p>Lady Gothika stepped back. "Oh... Nah..."</p><p>"Go on, LG, it might be fun." Saiya Man smiled.</p><p>"Go for it." Batman added.</p><p>The heroine glanced at them before she looked over at Bat-Mite again as the others took care of the brainwashed heroes and villains. Bat-Mite held out his hands, a hopeful yet patient expression on his face.</p><p>"Meh." Lady Gothika shrugged as she came towards Bat-Mite to get the dance over with.</p><p>Bat-Mite let out a little 'eep' of glee and began leading Lady Gothika in a furious combo of dancing and fighting. She started off a bit rocky, but she soon managed to get the hang of it and move with him.</p><p>"I won't be defeated so easily." The Music Meister told them firmly.</p><p>"Good, because neither will we!" Bat-Mite replied... Right before he snapped his fingers a few times, inserting noise-blocking earplugs in the ears of everyone else.</p><p>"Oh... Damn... You just pull everything out your butt, don't you?" The Music Meister glared.</p><p>Saiya Man slid in suddenly as he kicked him away like sliding into the home plate from baseball.</p><p>"What can I say?" Bat-Mite shrugged. "It's a gift. And your number is up!"</p><p>"It's time for the final curtain on you!" Lady Gothika added.</p><p>"Maybe you could sing some show tunes in the prison shower." Black Canary smirked a bit.</p><p>"...Just remember to keep a good grip on the soap, or else you'll be hitting a high note!" Aquaman added as the cops soon arrived.</p><p>"Nice one." Lady Gothika snickered from Aquaman's remarked.</p><p>"Thanks!" Aquaman replied.</p><p>Lady Gothika shared high-fives with Bat-Mite and Saiya Man.</p><p>"Alrighty! That's another villain thwomped!" Bat-Mite proclaimed. "Now to see our most recent clue!"</p><p>"Is this pretty major?" Batman asked Lady Gothika.</p><p>"Yes, we have to go NOW!" Lady Gothika replied. "Drell says this could be it!"</p><p>"Alright then!" Thunder Boy exclaimed. "Let's transform and roll out!"</p><p>The young heroes bolted off as they changed back to normal.</p><p>"Even if I didn't do anything." Thunder Boy pouted.</p><p>"Oh, come on, you busted some pretty good moves." Lady Gothika replied.</p><p>"Yeah, never took you for a dancer." Saiya Man added.</p><p>Thunder Boy beamed from that as he felt helpful again.</p>
<hr/><p>They soon came back to the Kent house as Atticus took out the puzzle piece as he ran to the board to put it in the puzzle to finally solve the family mystery.</p><p>"Okay... Let's recap what we have done already." Mo declared.</p><p>"Right," Atticus replied. "This U and R together make up 'Your', then a married bride and groom could make up 'parents', then there's a tie but with a minus T with a plus L to mean 'lie', then the letter N with a heart which we thought meant love, and now this piece which looks like a spooky gray area, almost like a graveyard."</p><p>"Your parents... Like... In... The heart of... Gray Area...?" Lionel put together. "What in the Matrix is the Gray Area?"</p><p>Jessica soon came through the door with groceries.</p><p>"Hey, Jess!" Atticus beamed at his sister before helping her with the groceries.</p><p>"Hey, Atticus," Jessica smiled. "Oh, you look excited."</p><p>"Drell gave us the final clue of the puzzle!" Atticus beamed.</p><p>"That's GREAT!" Jessica exclaimed. "Now we'll get to see Mom and Dad again!"</p><p>"One question though," replied Lionel. "It mentioned something about a Gray Area. What's <em>that</em> all about?"</p><p>Jessica's hair seemed to turn white.</p><p>"Jess...?" Atticus asked.</p><p>"Your parents lie in the heart of the Gray Area..." Jessica said to herself, looking a bit sick to her stomach. "I should've known..."</p><p>"Well? What's the Gray Area?" asked Lionel. "Don't keep us in suspense. I particularly despise that."</p><p>"Could you wait a few seconds?" Jessica asked.</p><p>Lionel groaned, but excused her as she went to get a glass of water.</p><p>Jessica took a drink to relax herself as she looked a bit scared to death from that name. "The Gray Area is a very dangerous, forbidden, and deathly part of the Netherworld in The Other Realm." she then finally explained.</p><p>The group looked at one another.</p><p>"So... What exactly makes it so dangerous... And forbidden?" asked Mo, curious.</p><p>"There's a lot of dangerous creatures there that could catch you and possibly even kill you." Jessica replied.</p><p>"Heh... So much for a family reunion." Cherry shrugged bashfully.</p><p>"Young witches and warlocks should stay away from there unless they have adult supervision," Jessica continued. "It's no place for those still in-training."</p><p>"Well... That's just prime..." Lionel groused. "Atticus' parents happen to be held prisoner in a cesspit of horrible, fiendish creatures that more than likely intend to do us harm."</p><p>Atticus sighed and bowed his head.</p><p>"Atticus?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"I never should've bothered looking for them," Atticus sulked. "Now I'll never see them again."</p><p>"He might as well be right..." Lionel sighed. "Last I checked, we're still in-training... And while I wish Atticus could be reunited with his parents, I have no desire to die in the process of ensuring that."</p><p>"I'm so sorry, guys," Jessica said to them. "We were so close too."</p><p>Atticus walked off.</p><p>"Atticus, you gonna be... Okay?" Cherry asked as she grabbed his arm.</p><p>"Huh? Oh, yeah... I-I'll be fine..." Atticus said. "I just think I'm gonna finish up my homework and go to bed early tonight."</p><p>"And to think we were so close!" Thor groused. "There HAS to be something we can do! We can't just roll over and quit! That... That'd be like telling Sombra we give up!"</p><p>"I'm sorry, guys," Jessica said softly. "I'd take you there if I could, but I don't think I'd be ready."</p><p>"Well, some big sister you are!" Cherry glared slightly. "If you really cared about your parents, you'd take us there to find them!"</p><p>"DON'T YOU THINK I <em>WANT</em> TO SEE MY PARENTS AGAIN, CHERRY?!" Jessica snapped. "I MISS THEM AS MUCH AS ATTICUS DOES, BUT I AM NOT WILLING TO PUT ANY OF YOU IN HARM'S WAY TO GET THEM BACK! IF I DID THAT, I WOULD BE JUST AS HORRIBLE AS SOMBRA!"</p><p>Cherry stepped back, a bit startled from that. Jessica glared while panting a bit heavily before she tried to relax herself.</p><p>"I-I'm sorry, Jessica." Cherry replied.</p><p>"I'm sorry too," Jessica told her. "As much as I'd love to help, I don't think I can."</p><p>"...If you can't help, maybe we need somebody who CAN." Thor replied.</p><p>"Are you suggesting that we ask Drell for help?" Lionel questioned.</p><p>"I was thinking you could make us special suits to tether us to the Mortal Realm and defend us from the Gray Area for when we go in to save Atticus' parents..." replied Thor. "But that's a good idea too. Maybe you could collaborate on the suits!"</p><p>"Hmm..." Jessica paused.</p><p>"Do you think that could help?" Mo asked.</p><p>"Well... Since Lionel comes from another dimension, maybe it would help a little." Jessica advised.</p><p>"You'd have to be crazy to attempt something like that..." Cherry replied.</p><p>"Sometimes, crazy works." Thor explained. "So... What do you say?"</p><p>Lionel pondered for a few minutes. "...Get Drell and bring Atticus up to speed on the situation. And somebody's gonna need to put on a pot of hot cocoa, for those who don't like coffee. This is gonna take a while." he replied.</p><p>Thor saluted as he decided to get his uncle. Jessica took the hot cocoa job as it would be her pleasure.</p><p>"I hope it'll be okay, Atticus," Cherry said as she felt bad for her friend. "I'm sure it will be."</p><p>Lionel looked at her, a smile growing on his face. "Thor was right: we've come too far to turn back now." he replied. "I made a promise... And I very well intend to keep it."</p><p>"Hopefully this doesn't affect our time with the Justice League," Cherry replied. "Batman says this mystery has made me a little sloppy in my fighting training, but luckily I got to prove him wrong when we faced the Music Meister."</p><p>"Well, they don't need to rely on us ALL the time," said Lionel as he began sketching out the suit designs. "They have no shortage of members on hand."</p><p>"I'll try telling him that," Cherry replied. "So, are we all staying a while longer?"</p><p>"Looks like it." Mo said.</p><p>"All right, I'll be right back." Cherry said as she took out her phone to tell Selina that she might be back home a little late.</p><p>"Okay then..." Lionel remarked as he finished drawing. "We got the tools... We got the talent."</p><p>Thor soon took that time to get going.</p><p>"And we'll have Drell soon." Mo replied.</p><p>"Oh, joy..." Cherry mumbled about Drell.</p><p>"I know you find him bothersome, as do I, but his presence is a necessity to the success of this mission." Lionel replied as he drank the hot cocoa.</p><p>"Well, all right... But he better not breathe my air." Cherry rolled her eyes.</p><p>"Which air is yours?" Mo smirked slightly.</p><p>"...Yes." Cherry replied.</p><p>"I can't make that promise." Lionel replied.</p><p>"Argh..." Cherry mumbled.</p><p>Atticus waited a bit in his room as he had some time alone.</p><p>"We should probably wait until he's ready to come back out." Cherry told the others as Atticus felt very upset right now.</p><p>"Good thinking," Lionel nodded. "He'll need some time."</p><p>Cherry then took some of her own hot cocoa.</p><p>"So, is Selina alright with you staying over?" Jessica asked.</p><p>"She said, and I quote, 'Whatever you have to do to help your friends, Kitten. As long as you finish your homework and don't stay up too late'." Cherry replied.</p><p>"Sounds like a yes to me." replied Mo as she cracked her knuckles.</p><p>"Guess I'll get some shut-eye while I wait for Drell to arrive." Lionel remarked.</p><p>"Get some rest," Cherry replied. "Who knows how long he'll take?"</p><p>"I suppose we'll see..." Lionel replied as he gave her a kiss on the cheek and shuffled off to the couch.</p><p>Cherry gave a small nod of her head.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The group sat together a bit quietly as Cherry finished up some homework while Atticus would also rest as he took a nap, though he seemed to have a strange dream from what looked like in outer-space. "Whoa... What is this place...?" Atticus asked as he glanced around.</p><p>Someone seemed to be running off who had a starry based outfit of some sorts as lasers fired towards him.</p><p>"Did I fall asleep to Babylon 5 or something?" Atticus asked, rubbing his eyes a bit.</p><p>"I need counter-measures," The boy said, seemingly to himself. "They've blown through our outer defenses."</p><p>"You better fall back to our position." Another voice replied.</p><p>"Wait, what's going on?" asked Atticus, growing even more confused. "What's happening?! Is this... Some kind of vision?"</p><p>A familiar Dalmatian soon came over.</p><p>"Oh! Patch!" Atticus beamed as he hugged the dog. "Boy, am I glad to see you. I feel so lost."</p><p>"I guess this would be a vision, but it looks like far into the future." Patch replied.</p><p>"That explains the suits..." Atticus muttered as they watched the events before their eyes unfold.</p><p>Other lasers soon shot out from the other side as the boy kept running. Eventually, three shadowed figures came out from the other side as the lasers fired and they all began to defend themselves. The boy slid into another room as the doors shut behind him as he found two other people, one seemed to be a nonhuman while the other seemed to be a girl.</p><p>"I can feel them," The girl spoke up. "They're here for the Time Ship."</p><p>"Well, they ain't gonna get their grimy mitts on it!" remarked a boy.</p><p>"Reckless, but logical," The nonhuman boy said as he rushed over to a sphere that was like a giant hamster ball as he powered it up. "However I should be able to jury-rig a booby trap into the sphere. If they do get past us, they'll be frozen in time as soon as they power up."</p><p>"How much time do you need?" The girl asked before a hand seemed to reach out from the other side of the door.</p><p>"Probably has to be urgent." Atticus guessed as he watched this with Patch.</p><p>"That goes without saying, if they're this hectic about this sort of thing." Patch replied.</p><p>"Tell me about it." Atticus nodded.</p><p>The hand seemed to burn through the door a bit.</p><p>"More than we have." The nonhuman boy told the girl about how much time they had left.</p><p>"Then you'll get it, bub!" The boy exclaimed. "We'll do what we can to hold 'em off. You just get to work, pronto!"</p><p>Atticus held his head. "What is happening?" he asked himself. "I have to be dreaming about some kinda sci-fi cartoon."</p><p>"Like I said, this is a vision." Patch replied as they continued watching.</p><p>"Right..." Atticus said as she set his dog down.</p><p>The brown-haired boy attempted to go into a deep focus with his special powers.</p><p>"Don't worry." The girl told him.</p><p>"I'm fine." The boy grunted as he sweated profusely.</p><p>"You're overdue for an injection and your concern--" The girl continued as her eyes flashed a pink color.</p><p>"I'm fine," The boy replied firmly. "And stay out of my head, please, Saturn Girl. We've got more pressing--"</p><p>BOOM!</p><p>"Uh-oh, guys," said another boy. "We got company, and I highly doubt they've come for a spot of tea!"</p><p>"You have a point, Brother," said a nearby girl who was a couple of years his superior. "We've got to get moving."</p><p>"Let's go then." The boy's voice said as the doors burst open.</p><p>The three strangers from before soon appeared as the smoke cleared, showing their faces.</p><p>"KILL THEM." A voice declared firmly.</p><p>"Not today, Bug Brain!" The boy declared. "Not <em>ever</em>!!"</p><p>As one guy leapt to the front and threw an axe, Saturn Girl made a forcefield to block it, but got knocked aside.</p><p>"Why, you--" The other boy glared as he saw someone else with the group. "Hey, wait a second: if you guys are the Fatal 5, how come there are six of ya?"</p><p>"This is getting intense..." Atticus said as he stepped back with Patch, even if this was just a vision.</p><p>"You're not kidding, man." agreed Patch.</p><p>The robotic-looking guy extended his arm and fired a laser at the kid in the star-covered suit, knocking him back.</p><p>"Cosmic Boy!" exclaimed the black-haired teenager before he turned back to face the villains. "Oh, that's it. You mooks are toast!"</p><p>"Save some for me, dude." The other boy agreed, taking a defensive stance.</p><p>"Cosmic Boy?" Atticus and Patch asked out of surprise and curiosity.</p><p>"I've never heard of heroes like this." Patch said.</p><p>"Neither have I..." Atticus agreed. "Either this is another universe or... It's probably the future."</p><p>The boy and dog looked very curious about what they were seeing.</p><p>"What seems to be the trouble?" Cosmic Boy glowered at the villains.</p><p>The robotic guy extended his arm and tossed the green-skinned boy from the chair as he and his friends entered the giant orb and began typing away at its keyboard.</p><p>"This doesn't look good." Atticus gulped.</p><p>"I didn't finish!" The green-skinned boy gasped.</p><hr/><p>It looked like the others were about to escape in the orb as a destination was typed in. The brown-haired boy felt like this was his chance to go, so he lunged out.</p><p>"Thomas, no!" Saturn Girl tried to stop him, but it was too late.</p><p>The other three lunged with him, and in a flash, they had vanished.</p><p>"I won't lose... Especially not to you, Maîtresse des Ténèbres!" growled the brown-haired boy as they squared off.</p><p>"What's going on?" Atticus muttered to himself.</p><p>Patch shrugged as he wasn't sure.</p><p>"I am so having a word with Drell about this." Atticus said sharply as the group fought.</p><p>Cosmic Boy was sent plummeting through the skies as the time sphere reappeared in space above Earth. Atticus and Patch were still somehow able to watch this like they were both watching a movie.</p><hr/><p>The sphere came towards Earth as it seemed to speed up with flames around it, almost like a comet. Cosmic Boy soon grabbed onto the sphere before he shot out an energy blasted punch onto the sphere, seeming to control the one at the controls and slammed his head onto the panel which activated some sort of protocol.</p><p>The boy inside blinked. "Uh-oh... Time to be going!" he grabbed his sister and the black-haired kid, but suddenly saw the other black-clad female grabbing his leg as he suddenly vanished.</p><p>The time sphere was suddenly surrounded in a green honeycomb pattern as it crash-landed in a local park.</p><hr/><p>There was a bright light which made Atticus gasp and pant as he sat up in his bed, sweating a bit. "W-What was that...?" he asked with surprise.</p><p>"Beats me," Patch said as he woke up at the foot of Atticus's bed. "I guess you saw what I saw?"</p><p>"Heh... Looks like it," Atticus replied as he petted his dog. "I didn't think that dogs had visions."</p><p>"Maybe we somehow shared the connection 'cuz of our bond?" asked Patch.</p><p>Atticus thought for a minute. "...Could be..." he replied.</p><p>"You okay earlier?" Patch asked. "You didn't even talk to me before you fell asleep."</p><p>"Sorry about that, boy," Atticus replied. "I just had a lot on my mind."</p><p>"Yeah... I overheard what happened." Patch replied as a loud booming sound was heard as the front door got kicked open.</p><p>"Well... I think Drell just arrived." Atticus noted.</p><p>"Ya don't say..." Patch smirked.</p><p>"Don't you know how to knock?!" Cherry's voice called out.</p><p>"That's how <em>I</em> knock," Drell retorted. "Now what's the big honkin' deal already?"</p><p>Lionel scratched himself as he woke up. "Fine. I'll make it quick..." he replied as he began to explain the situation and its possible solution.</p><p>"Mm-hmm... Mm-hmm..." Drell nodded as he listened a bit closer.</p><p>"Um, do you think it could work?" Lionel asked.</p><p>"I'll have to test with a guinea pig," Drell said as he took out his crystal ball like a cell phone. "Oh, Skippy? I need you to do me a favor."</p><p>There was a bit of silence for a while.</p><p>"Dammit, Skippy, stay out of Manhattan!" Drell rolled his eyes. "All right... Call back when you're available, this is an emergency."</p><p>Lionel blinked in confusion.</p><p>"We'll test out your little experiment as soon as my most trusted colleague gets out of the big city for his nightly visit." Drell told them all as he hung up.</p><p>"Pardon me, sir...?" Atticus spoke up as he came out of his bedroom.</p><p>"Ah, Atticus," Drell greeted. "You look well-rested."</p><p>"Yeah... I-I had to have a lie-down." Atticus replied.</p><p>"Well... I got good news," Lionel remarked. "Operation: Save yer Parents has an... Oh, say, 86% chance of being carried out now."</p><p>"Yeah?" Atticus replied.</p><p>"I'll get something worked out since they're in the... Eeeugh..." Drell replied before shuddering as even he felt horrified. "The Gray Area of the Netherworld."</p><p>"I wonder what they're doing over there if it's so dangerous?" Atticus pondered.</p><p>"Most likely Sombra put them there," Lionel replied. "Looks like I got another reason to knock his teeth out."</p><p>"Pretty graphic." Atticus said.</p><p>"He started it." Cherry grumbled darkly.</p><p>Some time passed as Drell excused himself briefly, so Atticus took that time to tell the others about the vision he saw with Patch as they watched over Drell's crystal ball for him and to tell him if anyone called him during his absence.</p><p>"Whoa... Talk about cryptic," Mo remarked. "Kinda like you were seeing the events as they happened."</p><p>"Tell me about it," Atticus replied. "It felt like something out of a weird cartoon."</p><p>"Or Babylon 5," Thor added before smiling. "Aw, Babylon 5... I like the two magicians they met once... Rebo and Zooty."</p><p>Everyone took a glance at the fourth wall after that, before turning back to one another.</p><p>"Well... If this is the case," replied Lionel. "Then these time-travelers have come back to the present day."</p><p>"Maybe we'll find out later..." Cherry shrugged.</p><p>The crystal ball soon rang.</p><p>"Hello? ...Hello?! ...Hello?" Cherry answered it like a phone, but only heard silence before shrugging as she set it down on the table. "No one answered."</p><p>Everyone stared at her, dumbfounded by that. The crystal ball rang again.</p><p>"Hello?" Atticus tried to answer. "Hello?!"</p><p>The same result had happened.</p><p>"What is with these people?" Mo rolled her eyes.</p><p>"Sorry about that, kids, I had to get a monkey off my back," Drell said as he came by. "Did anyone call?"</p><p>The others merely shrugged as they didn't know how to answer that.</p><p>"It's been RINGIN' OFF THE HOOK!" Lionel replied.</p><p>"Well, why didn't you answer it?!" Drell retorted.</p><p>"Because no one was there!" Cherry replied.</p><p>The crystal ball rang again.</p><p>"Watch. Watch!" Cherry told him.</p><p>"Hello?" Drell answered then, but he had better luck this time. "Oh. Hi, Skippy."</p><p>"Well, no <em>wonder</em> we couldn't hear anything!" Lionel exclaimed. "Why would someone use a phone <strong>IF THEY RARELY EVER TALK?!</strong>"</p><p>"Oh, Skippy can talk, you just don't listen." Drell said in a hushed tone as he waited for Skippy to "talk" to him.</p><p>The others looked with deadpan from that answer.</p><p>"Uh-huh... Uh-huh... Uh-huh..." Drell listened, though he seemed to roll his eyes and waved his finger. "Chatterbox... No, not you, Skip, one of the kids." he then smirked a bit.</p><p>Lionel rolled his eyes. "He can talk, you just don't listen..." he mocked. "Bah. I've barely heard a single word out of that fellow's mouth... And gesturing does <em>not</em> count!"</p><p>"Okay, thanks, Skip," Drell said as he hung up. "So, you're probably wondering what he just said."</p><p>"You bet your butt!" The others replied sharply.</p><p>"He's gonna test out Lionel's little suggestion when he can come over later after he's done visiting Manhattan," Drell told the others. "It's hard to say how long that'll take though. Skip's got a thing for women with wings these days if ya know what I mean."</p><p>Lionel face-palmed. "Ugh...."</p><p>"Okay, thanks, you can go now," Cherry said as she came to Drell to push him down the hallway and out the door. "I gotta say, it was nice seeing you, but you gotta go, right? You're a very busy man, we understand."</p><p>"Cherry, I can't help but feel you're trying to get rid of me." Drell replied.</p><p>"No... What gave you that idea...?" Cherry remarked as her voice sounded weak.</p><p>"We haven't got <em>time</em> for this!" Lionel exclaimed. "We gotta get these suits made. Every second we waste is another second that bastard Sombra has the upper hand... Hoof... Whatever!"</p><p>"Right, so I'm staying to make sure this works." Drell said as he made Cherry stop.</p><p>"Then <em>I'm</em> going home." Cherry replied firmly.</p><p>"<strong>ALRIGHT, EVERYONE SHUT UP!!!</strong>" Lionel boomed. "I know you can't stand Drell, that's fine, I can only tolerate him so much, but his compliance is necessary if we want this plan to go off without a hitch. We've come too far to let it fall apart because of our issues with him. So we must suck it up and bear his presence, but then again, that also means HE must try to put in the effort to not be so damned obnoxious... Which may be a challenge in itself for him."</p><p>"Ughh..." Cherry groaned a bit.</p><p>"I promise though, as soon as Skippy comes over, we'll try your plan." Drell told Lionel.</p><p>"Fine." Lionel replied.</p><p>"It'll be worth it..." Drell said before slanting his eyes. "Jessica."</p><p>"Drell." Jessica greeted back in the same way.</p><p>"He's my favorite uncle." Thor beamed to the others.</p><p>"By default, I bet." Cherry mumbled.</p><p>"Also, Atticus, it looks like you're seeing very far into the future." Drell said.</p><p>"Seems like it." Atticus agreed.</p><p>"Well, the future, and then the present," Lionel stated. "Though I wonder what happened to those others who vanished from that floatin' ball..."</p><p>"Also, how did I see what Atticus saw?" Patch wondered.</p><p>"Well, Spot, it looks as though you have been chosen as Atticus's magical familiar, so you'll develop your own magic powers just like him." Drell told the young Dalmatian.</p><p>"Well, stranger things have happened..." Lionel replied as a ZAP was heard, followed by a few thumps. "Wait, what was <em>that</em>?"</p><p>Patch began to bark as he rushed around with his dog instincts flaring up.</p><p>"Something just came from outside!" Mo exclaimed. "Let's go check it out."</p><p>"Come on!" Thor said. "Maybe it's a spaceship!"</p><p>"Aw, Thor..." Cherry rolled her eyes from that.</p><p>They soon ran out the door to see what had happened.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Outside were the people who had vanished from inside the Time Sphere.</p><p>"This... Is definitely awkward." said the boy in a Batman-esque costume.</p><p>"You said it, bub." replied the other boy.</p><p>"Whoa..." Drell whispered as he took a look with the others.</p><p>"It's those kids." Atticus told the others.</p><p>"From our vision." Patch added.</p><p>"Major deja vu." Lionel remarked.</p><p>The boy and girl seemed to look at Lionel and Cherry in recognition.</p><p>"Um... Hey..." Cherry said as she came to the kids. "You're kinda parked in my buddy's yard, so if you could move your... Uh... Orb thing, whatever it is... That would be great."</p><p>The boy blinked. "....The time sphere..." he realized. "My apologies, Mom--... Um, citizen, but my allies and I were helping to capture THIS devious criminal!" he held up Maîtresse des Ténèbres triumphantly.</p><p>"Gasp!" Thor yelped as the others looked surprised. "It's... It's... Wait... Who <em>is </em>that...?"</p><p>"I am Quad-Star," explained the boy. "These are my allies: Batman Beyond, and Energex."</p><p>"Uh, well, it's good to meet you three... I suppose..." Cherry replied.</p><p>"Where are we?" Batman Beyond asked.</p><p>"My house." Atticus replied.</p><p>"I guess we really did go a bit far back." Energex said to Batman Beyond and Quad-Star.</p><p>"Batman Beyond... Must be a fanboy..." Cherry mumbled to herself.</p><p>"Wrong," said Quad Star. "He's the son of the original Batman."</p><p>The others looked to each other from that.</p><p>"Batman has a son?" Atticus whispered to Cherry.</p><p>"I guess I must've missed the memo." Cherry whispered back.</p><p>"Indeed... Though our parents worked with the original Batman in his prime," explained Quad Star. "They were like family to him... And Catwoman."</p><p>The others looked to each other before calling out. "DRELL?!"</p><p>"I'm right here." Drell glared at them.</p><p>"Oh! Sorry..." Cherry said sheepishly.</p><p>"All right... I better check these kids out for you guys..." Drell said as he brought out a special device, plucking some DNA from the strangers to find out who they were.</p><p>"Aggravating as always..." Quad-Star growled.</p><p>"So, what does it say?" asked Mo.</p><p>"Well, for one thing, this kid is Batman of the Future." Drell informed about the newer Batman.</p><p>"So... They're from the future...?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"No, he just calls himself that to look cool." Drell said as he stood by.</p><p>There was then a beat of silence.</p><p>"Of course they're from the future!" Drell then said.</p><p>"Yeah, I think we established that," replied Quad Star. "Anything <em>else</em>...?"</p><p>"Your friend is Terry McGinnis." Drell said.</p><p>"Uh, yeah." The future Batman replied.</p><p>"And you two... Oh-ho, you two..." Drell chuckled at Quad Star and Energex.</p><p>Energex looked a bit nervous about that. "Uh, okay, I think you proved your point, sir! No need to go any further."</p><p>"Well... And <em>this</em> one?" asked Quad Star, holding up Maîtresse des Ténèbres.</p><p>"Oui, oui, you must be French..." Drell chuckled.</p><p>Maîtresse des Ténèbres growled a bit from her capture.</p><p>"You're busted, girly girl," Drell said as he checked his device. "You thought you could get away with it."</p><p>"I have my reasons." Maîtresse replied.</p><p>"Maybe I should reveal you this way..." Drell said, reaching out to take off her mask to show everyone and not just the group with him, but the group from the future.</p><p>Quad Star gasped. "...Felicity?! But... But why?!" he exclaimed, shocked. "To think... I almost killed my own sister!! I'm no hero... <strong>I'M A MONSTER!!!</strong>"</p><p>"Felicity...?" Energex asked with surprise.</p><p>"Dude, you were gonna kill your own sister?" Cherry asked. "That's pretty sick."</p><p>"She was working with villains!!" Quad Star sobbed. "I never wanted it to get this bad... I didn't even <em>know</em> it was her under the mask until now!!"</p><p>"Oh... Ohh, kid..." Cherry replied.</p><p>"All this time... We thought she was a low-life criminal..." The new Batman said as he lowered his mask a bit to show his face which came with silky black hair. "You all must be so confused."</p><p>"I know I am." Atticus mumbled as he held his head.</p><p>"Well... We could get inside," suggested Energex. "Maybe then our sister will be willing to explain just WHY she was working with supervillains."</p><p>"Please... I'm sorry you had to find out this way..." Felicity pouted.</p><p>"Well, all right..." Cherry and Atticus replied with only slight agitation.</p><hr/><p>They came into the living room where there would be enough room for all of them to talk.</p><p>"You better have a good excuse," Energex glared at Felicity. "I don't wanna have to hurt you."</p><p>"I promise, I didn't mean to hurt any of you." Felicity said as they sat down to get comfortable.</p><p>"Do you want some hot chocolate?" Atticus asked.</p><p>"If you don't mind, that would be great." Felicity accepted.</p><p>"All this time... I was fighting my own eldest sister..." Quad Star moaned. "I could have hurt you... I don't deserve to be called a hero...!"</p><p>"Oh, Quad Star..." The new Batman called to him softly.</p><p>Energex frowned with deep concern.</p><p>"Felicity... I'm sorry... I'm so, <em>so</em> sorry..." Quad Star sniffled as he removed his mask, revealing the face of a young man with brown hair. "But WHY? Why did you do this?!"</p><p>"I should be sorry," Felicity sighed. "I was doing undercover work."</p><p>"That doesn't sound so bad." Thor shrugged.</p><p>"I know what I was doing looked bad for you guys, but I was trying to actually stop the Fatal 5 and a cruel, dark ally of theirs." Felicity soon explained.</p><p>"...Enlighten us," said Quad Star. "If we must know... Then Mom and Dad will be most pleased, as well as Uncle."</p><p>"Who are they talking about?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"Their family of course." Drell smirked.</p><p>"Argh! Will you stop being such a pain in the ass?!" Cherry complained.</p><p>"Can't help it," Drell smirked. "Now, uh, you were saying, Felice?"</p><p>My name is Felicity," Felicity corrected with a sigh. "Very well..."</p><hr/><p>We are soon shown clips of Felicity before she donned her new guise as Maîtresse des Ténèbres.</p><p><em>"It was a normal evening... The rest of the family went out, so I stayed behind because I was going through personal struggles around that time..."</em> Felicity narrated until she saw a glowing blast from a back room and went to go check it out. <em>"There, I saw something a bit amazing."</em></p><p>A black-cloaked figure was shown in the backroom as Felicity cracked the door open with a gasp to see this figure before it looked back at her with beady red eyes.</p><p>"Who are you?" asked Felicity, a bit curious in addition to being somewhat nervous.</p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry, dear, did I frighten you?" The figure smiled with a bit of a smirk.</p><p>"A little... Now... Who are you?" Felicity repeated, a bit firmly as she tried to be brave.</p><p>"Ah... They call me Black Velvet..." The figure replied.</p><p>"Interesting... But what are you doing in my home?" Felicity asked her unexpected visitor.</p><p>"Is your name Felicity?" Black Velvet asked her.</p><p>"Erm... Yes..." Felicity replied.</p><p>"I came for you..." Black Velvet smirked. "I sense a greatness deep down inside of you."</p><p>"Inside of me?" Felicity asked. "Wow... I am flattered, really... But what do you want with me?"</p><p>"Why don't you come with me?" Black Velvet smiled, wrapping her arm around Felicity as they walked toward the window together. "You can trust me."</p><p><em>"I felt quite unsure of this stranger,"</em> Felicity's voice narrated. <em>"She sounded and looked interesting alright, but still... I didn't know what to think."</em></p><hr/><p>"And you never once bothered explaining things to us... Why?" asked Quad Star. "We could've helped in some way."</p><p>"I was forbidden to," Felicity replied. "For a while, she was training me like a little apprentice."</p><p>"...Ah." Quad Star replied.</p><p>"She left me notes of where to meet her and when," Felicity said. "She would teach me how to fight... How to embrace the darkness like she could... Eventually, once I was ready, she gave me a new outfit and a new name. I never meant to hurt you guys, but... I really had a great time with her... Like probably how Lady Gothika and Catwoman used to bond."</p><p>"...I never meant to hurt you either," Quad Star sighed. "I suppose we could both use some forgiveness."</p><p>"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you," Felicity replied. "It was meant to be top secret."</p><p>"...I forgive you," replied Quad Star. "And I'm sorry I attacked you all those times."</p><p>"I'm sorry I had to fight back to keep up appearances some of the time." Felicity added softly as she held out her arms for a hug.</p><p>Quad Star gladly accepted the hug with one of his own, crying tears of joy. "I'm just happy you're not dead!" he exclaimed.</p><p>"Nothing will ever happen to me," Felicity whispered softly. "I promise you."</p><p>Quad Star enjoyed the hug for a few more minutes before breaking away.</p><p>"Alright then... How come you infiltrated the Fatal 5?" asked Energex.</p><p>"I found out that they had a dark plan with a nefarious creature who had his own dark and sick, twisted schemes." Felicity replied.</p><p>"You don't mean...?" asked Energex.</p><p>Felicity nodded.</p><p>"Not him... Not King Sombra!" Quad Star groused. "That guy is so annoying!"</p><p>"King Sombra?!" The present group gasped.</p><p>"Ugh, not that jerk!" Cherry complained. "What's he want now in the future?!"</p><p>"Well, he took our uncle's parents," explained Felicity. "And he has enlisted the Fatal 5 to make sure that they are not rescued."</p><p>"Your uncle?" asked Lionel. "But I only know about Sombra taking Atticus' parents."</p><p>"Hey, that's our uncle's name!" Quad Star exclaimed.</p><p>"Get out." Cherry muttered out.</p><p>"...You don't suppose...?" The new Batman said to Quad Star and Energex.</p><p>"No... N-No... It can't be..." Felicity said. "It has to be a coincidence."</p><p>"I don't believe in coincidences," said Quad Star as he glanced at the group before him. "In that case... It's good to see you again... Mom and Dad."</p><p>Cherry and Lionel shared a glance before checking with the warlock. "Drell?"</p><p>"He's telling the truth," Drell replied. "This kid's your guys's son."</p><p>"Hey, I guess she does open up to you more after all once you killed her inner demons once Selina let her move in." Atticus chuckled as he gave a playful punch in Lionel's arm, but did it so he wouldn't hurt him.</p><p>Lionel blushed at that. "Whoa... I can't believe it... Not only do I get to be part of a family... I get to start one of my own!" he exclaimed.</p><p>"You kids say you know me too?" Drell asked the future group.</p><p>"Unfortunately." Terry mumbled a bit from that.</p><p>"Yeah... You and Hilda have a son," replied Quad Star. "Ambrose. Surprisingly, he's not as obnoxious as you."</p><p>"He must take after... Uh... Um... Yep..." Cherry remarked.</p><p>"I have a son with Hilda Spellman?" Drell gushed. "Oh... Oh, that makes me feel so happy!"</p><p>"Anyways... I'm Lionel Schwartz, Jr, though I prefer 'LJ'," explained Quad Star. "This is my second sister, Zofia Schwartz, and my first-born sister, Felicity Schwartz... As well as our cousin, Terry McGinnis Wayne-Kyle."</p><p>"...I need some water..." Cherry said a bit shallowly.</p><p>Drell magicked her up a glass of water.</p><p>"Oh... Thank you..." Cherry said as she drank it right away as she looked to the group. "McGinnis-Wayne-Kyle? Bruce must really get around or something."</p><p>"Actually, McGinnis was the name he was given when he was adopted," explained LJ. "See, Bruce and Selina realized that if word got out about them having a child, every crook in the city would be after him. So they had you and Dad take Terry to the orphanage and watch over him from afar."</p><p>"Oh... I guess that makes sense..." Cherry replied. "Like that one Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon with Sonia and Manic."</p><p>"Or that show <em>Futurama</em>!" Lionel added, and LJ nodded.</p><p>"We're prepared to do whatever we can to help in your mission." LJ then stated.</p><p>"Well, okay," Cherry replied. "Lionel had an idea, but Mr. Head of the Council here says he's gotta wait for his friend to come back from Manhattan for whatever season."</p><p>"You sure we're not keeping you from work?" Atticus asked Drell. "I imagine you'd have your hands full with your job."</p><p>"As long as you do not disturb me on Wednesday evenings." Drell said sharply.</p><p>"Dare I ask why?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"That's my Bowling Night." Drell said with crossed arms.</p><p>"...Right." Lionel replied, impatiently drumming his fingers on the table.</p><p>"You bowl?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"There's a lot you guys don't know about me." Drell replied.</p><hr/><p>Eventually, everyone tried to wait patiently for Drell's friend to come over, and eventually fell asleep as the sun was almost coming up for a brand new day. There was a light rumble from upstairs as Drell hugged a pillow on the couch as someone came downstairs for him, though his clothes were a bit messe up with his hair and his tie looked loose and his face was covered in lipstick smooch marks. He came to Drell and tried to shake him awake.</p><p>"Mm... Hilda... You're so soft..." Drell said in his sleep.</p><p>The man sighed and poofed up a pail of water before dumping it on Drell's head.</p><p>"Gah!" Drell yelped as he woke up. "Huh? Who's there?"</p><p>The man waved to him with an innocent look.</p><p>"Oh, Skippy!" Drell smiled. "It's about time you got back."</p><p>Skippy nodded.</p><p>"Well, we might as well get everyone awake so we can begin." Drell suggested.</p><p>Skippy nodded and went to the kitchen to make some breakfast for everybody.</p><p>"Good boy..." Drell nodded to that as he came to wake up the others.</p><p>Jessica yawned very tiredly as she came to cook breakfast, but gasped as she saw Skippy there. "Uncle Skippy, is that you?" she asked with a beam.</p><p>Skippy beamed at her before they shared a hug.</p><p>"You gonna make your famous pancakes?" Jessica asked.</p><p>Skippy beamed before he did some gestures at her.</p><p>"Sure, I'll help!" Jessica smiled. "I've been helping out ever since I found my baby brother again." And so, she and Skippy entered the kitchen, leaving Drell with the others, who were dead asleep.</p><p>"<strong>WAKE UP!</strong>" Drell yelled at them all.</p><p>The group groaned as they woke up.</p><p>"Ugh... What time is it?" Mo asked.</p><p>"6:00." Drell replied.</p><p>"We slept all day?!" Cherry gasped.</p><p>"In the morning." Drell clarified.</p><p>"What the hell is your problem?" Cherry groaned as she buried her face in her pillow.</p><p>"I told you we had to wait for Skippy." Drell replied.</p><p>"Why so early in the morning though?" Atticus groaned as he was on an air mattress with Mo as they were both huddled under a blanket.</p><p>"Because gargoyles turn back to stone at sunrise." Drell said like it was obvious.</p><p>"What the hell does <em>that</em> have to do with <em>anything</em>?!" Lionel exclaimed.</p><p>"Because last night Skippy was with his new girlfriend," Drell replied. "Her name is Angela of the Manhattan Clan. They're very sweet on each other, so when he can, he visits her and they spend the night together. I'm just surprised Goliath is cool with her seeing a pixie brain like Skip. Ah, Skippy... We've been friends since the times of Merlin back when Zelda had a schoolgirl crush on him."</p><p>"Fascinating, but we can reminisce later," replied Lionel. "We must begin work on the protective suits."</p><p>"Right," Thor said as he pulled off Atticus and Mo's blanket. "Time to get movin'! Daugh!"</p><p>Atticus and Mo blushed as they were exposed in cuddling positions under the covers.</p><p>"Can't keep it to yourself, can't ya, Atticus?" Drell smirked teasingly. "I thought Clark would raise you better than that."</p><p>Atticus coughed sheepishly. "Well... How about those protective suits, huh, guys?" he asked, trying to change the subject.</p><p>"Right; we've wasted enough time," replied Lionel. "Time to begin."</p><p>And so, they began to work on their suits with a bit of montage music playing in the background as they all shared pancakes in the process.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eventually, the pancakes were eaten, and the suits were constructed.</p><p>"You think these might work out, li'l buddy?" Thor asked Lionel.</p><p>"Yeah, are you sure about this?" Atticus added.</p><p>"I know that they'll work," Lionel replied. "I made it so these were impenetrable, invulnerable, and increase our normal powers by twenty-fold. Not to mention they're equipped with radar and defense systems to fend off anything that we might run into in the Gray Area; as well as ensure we don't get fooled by ANY illusions."</p><p>"All right," Drell said as he put his hands on his hips. "Looks like it's time for a field trip into the Other Realm."</p><p>"Other Realm..." Cherry repeated. "That name sounds so generic."</p><p>"Well, we sometimes call it the Supernatural Realm too," Drell shrugged. "But let's suit you kids up and get a move on."</p><p>"Right," Lionel grinned as he climbed into his suit. "Let's do it to it!"</p><p>Everyone else soon began to suit up after him.</p><p>"You ready to see your parents?" Mo asked Atticus.</p><p>"I'm quite sure I was born ready." Atticus firmly nodded.</p><p>"Well, then I guess it's now or never." Cherry replied as she and Thor suited up.</p><p>"Awright, let's go do this thing!" Thor whooped.</p><p>"Let's go, kids." Drell said as he opened the door for them.</p><p>And so, the kids rushed in like soldiers going out to war as they hupped themselves along.</p><p>"Hup! Hup! Hup! Hup!" Thor chanted on the way inside.</p><p>"And so... We boldly go..." Lionel proclaimed as he entered. "Where no hero has gone before."</p><p>"Yep..." Thor replied. "This is it."</p><p>"The final countdown." Mo added.</p><p>"I swear if they end up not being where we gotta go, I'm gonna be very upset." Cherry remarked.</p><p>"Just remember, in The Gray Area, not all things are exactly as they appear," Drell advised. "This is why it's best to go with an adult or someone with a higher rank of magical training. Have you got it?"</p><p>"Yes!" The others replied.</p><p>"Sounds like steam escaping..." Drell mumbled from that as he shut the door behind them which had thunder and lightning go off which startled Patch because he was a dog.</p><hr/><p>Skippy felt scared as he wore a prototype in Lionel's suit as he walked out ahead of them to test to see if it would work.</p><p>"Okay, proto-suit test, take one." Lionel wrote. "And... Action!"</p><p>Skippy gulped as he shook a bit.</p><p>"Well, go on, Skippy..." Drell said as he pushed his friend over into the Gray Area as they came to the warning border.</p><p>Skippy gasped as he fell to his knees as he was in the Gray Area, looking scared to death.</p><p>"Have fun!" Drell smiled nonchalantly.</p><p>"Nice to know you're concerned." replied Lionel sarcastically as he activated the suits.</p><p>"Oh, I am," Drell shrugged. "Skippy can do it though. He loves doing this stuff for me."</p><p>Skippy shivered nervously, almost looking like a whimpering puppy as he looked around while traveling the Gray Area. Some monsters looked at him with growls, though they didn't seem to attack him so far.</p><p>"I think the suit is working," replied Patch. "So far, none of the creatures have actually attacked him."</p><p>Skippy smiled to the others with two thumb's up as he looked back at them. A giant plant monster soon hovered over him and bit down, eating him whole with its giant mouth.</p><p>"Skippy!" The others panicked from that.</p><p>Drell looked horrified at first before looking nonchalant before he took out a plunger. "Well... He's dead..." he then said. "Time to find a Plan B."</p><p>"...It's like every decade you get more and more disturbing..." LJ remarked as something soon shot out and landed in the living room: it was Skippy, still inside the suit, which, apart from being covered in drool, was otherwise unharmed.</p><p>"Oh, my God! Are you okay?!" Jessica gasped.</p><p>Skippy gave a bit of a weak thumb's up at her before he fell in the middle of the ground.</p><p>"Spit him out! Spit him out!" Drell glared as he ran to the plant monster, banging the plunger on it. "Alright, open up!"</p><p>"Mm... He was a bit too chewy for my liking..." The plant monster said with a smirk about eating Skippy alive.</p><p>"Thank you, Skippy, you were a perfect test monkey." Drell approved.</p><p>Skippy gave his friend a look from that.</p><p>"At least we know that the suits work," replied Atticus. "Now... We can head in and find my parents at last."</p><p>"Right." The others agreed from that as they walked off.</p><p>"Gosh... These monsters sure are creepy..." Atticus said. "I guess I should be glad we're not alone."</p><p>"Skippy just messaged, he thinks he's gonna sit this one out," Drell said as he checked his crystal ball. "Lazy bones."</p><p>"I'm surprised you don't have more friends, with concern like THAT for the fact he almost got eaten..." Lionel said sarcastically as they entered.</p><p>"Aw, come on, I knew he'd be fine," Drell replied. "Why else would I sacrifice him out here?"</p><p>"Because you're a sadist?" Cherry remarked.</p><p>"Hmph..." Drell snorted from that.</p><p>"Not like you did anything to prove otherwise..." Mo shrugged. "Anyways, let's get a move on."</p><p>"They're this way, right?" Thor asked his uncle.</p><p>"Of course," Drell replied. "We just gotta get past the Gray Area's forest and they'll be just over the bridge."</p><p>A snake slithered down in front of Cherry with hypnotic eyes.</p><p>"Mmf... Mmf..." Cherry shivered before she punched the snake away. "Get outta here, Hissy Face!"</p><p>"That's one obstacle down," noted Lionel. "And a whole lot more to go."</p><p>"Yep," Drell replied. "Brace yourselves. Especially you, Cherry."</p><p>"Why especially <em>me</em>?" Cherry narrowed her eyes. "Because I have bad luck?"</p><p>"You don't have bad luck," Drell told her. "I'm sure with Lionel by your side though, he'll help you get through much easier."</p><p>"Indeed I shall!" Lionel replied as they ventured further into the Gray Area.</p><hr/><p>"This place is creepy..." Mo shuddered.</p><p>"Hmph... Try visiting Wonderland..." Drell said. "All outsiders there are pretty much put through the wringer whether it be an invader or a little girl."</p><p>"With a name like Wonderland though, it sounds... Well... Wondrous..." Atticus replied.</p><p>"Trust me, when you meet the Queen of Hearts, Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, and the March Hare, you'll wish you stayed home." Drell advised.</p><p>The group didn't have a response to that as they continued their trek.</p><p>"Okay, what's next?" asked Lionel.</p><p>"Well, we're out of the forest, now we gotta cross this bridge," Drell showed them. "Who's good at riddles?"</p><p>"Uh, I guess I am, sir?" Cherry replied. "Why do you ask?"</p><p>"Because we have to answer some riddles to cross the bridge with the Troll Booth." Drell clarified.</p><p>"Oh, good grief..." Lionel groaned as they arrived at the Troll Booth Bridge.</p><hr/><p>"Halt!" The Troll glared.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, what's up, Roland?" Drell greeted him.</p><p>"Hey, buddy," The Troll chuckled. "Where's that Sabrina girl? She's quite the looker."</p><p>"Ugh, you are <em>not</em> marrying her!" Drell glared protectively. "She's a teenage witch and you're a thousands of years old troll! It's not gonna happen, especially with <em>me</em> around!"</p><p>"We need to cross the bridge," added Lionel. "So make with the riddles!"</p><p>"Who is my challenger?" Roland smirked.</p><p>Drell plucked Cherry off of the ground and set her in front of him.</p><p>"Say, you're kinda cute too," Roland smirked. "I'll let you pass by freely if you wouldn't mind marrying me."</p><p>"Ugh! No!" Cherry complained.</p><p>"Your loss," Roland replied. "Alright... What word in the English language uses all five vowels plus Y in alphabetical order, and uses each only once?"</p><p>Cherry sweat-dropped from that. "Is there a time limit?" she then asked.</p><p>"I could add one for ya!" Roland smirked as he took out a stopwatch.</p><p>"No, no, that won't be necessary!" Cherry protested, waving her hands frantically.</p><p>"All five vowels... And Y... Alphabetical order... And uses each only once?" Lionel exclaimed. "Boy, does this sound tough."</p><p>"Can we help her?" Atticus asked.</p><p>"She might need it." Roland smirked.</p><p>"Come on, Cher... Think... Think!" Cherry gasped.</p><p>"Aren't you supposed to start with an easy one?" Drell asked the troll. "Like what has four legs and goes meow?"</p><p>"A cow with a sore throat?" Thor guessed from that.</p><p>Lionel face-palmed. "That's a <em>cat</em>, not a cow!" he snapped.</p><p>"Is cat your final answer?" Roland smirked.</p><p>"NO!" The others replied.</p><p>"Hmm..." Atticus paused as he poofed up a dictionary to look through it. "This might be cheating, but I feel like it might be a word not in the English language."</p><p>"Oh, but it is~" Roland teased.</p><p>"Shut it!" Cherry glared.</p><p>Lionel flipped through the dictionary and pondered some more.</p><p>"Why would Thor say something as dumb as that?" asked Mo.</p><p>"It just seems a bit facetious." Patch replied. </p><p>At that, Lionel's eyes lit up. "Guys... I think I just figured it out." he said.</p><p>"Well?" Roland asked.</p><p>The others whispered to Cherry before she stepped over.</p><p>"The answer is facetious." Cherry stated with confidence.</p><p>"Damn!" Roland complained. "That was my toughest riddle! Urgh... You can all pass."</p><p>Everyone whooped and cheered as they crossed the bridge.</p><p>"So, how <em>is</em> Sabrina?" Roland asked Drell.</p><p>Drell shot him away with a magical blast as he walked off with the others.</p><p>"...I think he's warming up to me..." Roland wheezed before he collapsed.</p><hr/><p>The others walked along for a while before they spotted a cottage in the distance.</p><p>"That has to be them, right?" Atticus asked.</p><p>"It should be." Drell replied.</p><p>"Okay then..." said Lionel. "Let's make sure that it's not some sort of illusion trap."</p><p>"Good idea," Atticus replied. "How do we make sure though?"</p><p>"Someone go check it out," Cherry said. "Drell, I volunteer you."</p><p>"Well, if you insist... Not that there's anything to worry about..." Drell replied as he stepped out to check out the cottage.</p><p>The group decided to watch from nearby.</p><p>"Wait a second, we could just use our scanners to ensure that this place is the real deal!" Lionel realized.</p><p>"Okay... Drell, come back!" Cherry called.</p><p>Drell kept going anyway and opened the door and shut it behind him. The others looked to each other from that, especially as it was quiet for a few minutes. There was a roar heard inside the cottage as Drell soon yelled out as he ran right back, looking scared to death and his pants seemed to have the back bitten off and he looked slightly scorched.</p><p>"...It was the wrong place, wasn't it?" Lionel asked.</p><p>"There's a freakin' dragon in there!" Drell glared at Cherry. "Next time <em>you</em> go in the cottage! I don't care if it's the real deal or not!"</p><p>"Heh... Whoops..." Cherry smiled sheepishly.</p><p>A young-looking purple dragon flew out with a glare, though he seemed to have a collar around his neck like a pet.</p><p>"Greetings... Mr. Dragon...." Atticus gulped.</p><p>"Oh, you were scared of this little go?" Mo cooed. "He looks cute!"</p><p>"Careful, guys," replied Lionel as he scanned the dragon. "This could be another obstacle."</p><p>The dragon growled a bit as he landed in front of them. Everyone else soon hid behind Drell for protection. The dragon stepped out a bit.</p><p>"What's going on out there, Spyro?" A male voice asked from in the cottage.</p><p>"Is it a home invader?" A female voice added.</p><p>"Those voices..." Atticus whispered with tears in his eyes. "Mom...? Dad...?"</p><p>Lionel gave another quick scan of the cottage, picking up two separate heat signatures from inside. "...Yep. They're the real deal, according to the scanners." he replied.</p><p>"Atticus, you never told me your parents had a pet dragon." Thor smiled obliviously.</p><p>Atticus slowly turned his head at the warlock teen with a look of deadpan. "If I were Moe from The Three Stooges, I'd knock your block off." he then told him.</p><p>"Eh, sorry, buddy..." Thor smiled nervously with a cartoony voice.</p><p>"Awright, you mugs, let's get on inside." Lionel told the both of them.</p><p>"Agreed." Atticus replied.</p><p>The dragon soon flew into the cottage as the others came in after it as Drell changed his clothes with his magic so he would be fine.</p><hr/><p>"Whoever it was, they must be gone now," The man of the house told his wife as they sat in the kitchen. "I hate living here though."</p><p>"I miss all our friends," The woman pouted. "I don't think there's anyone though I miss as much as our children."</p><p>"That must be difficult, ma'am," Lionel replied. "Though I have a particularly good feeling that your luck is about to change."</p><p>The couple soon got to their feet and grabbed whatever they could to use as weapons.</p><p>"Hey, Patty Cakes." Drell said to the man.</p><p>"Drell? I thought you didn't hang around the Gray Area anymore." The man said to him.</p><p>"I don't, but I have a gift for you and the lovely lady." Drell said with a low bow of his head.</p><p>And at that, Lionel, Cherry, Mo, Thor, and Atticus stepped forth, taking off their helmets to reveal their faces. The couple held onto each other as they looked right at Atticus.</p><p>"You have your mother's eyes." Mo smiled at Atticus.</p><p>Atticus blushed a bit before looking over with tearful eyes. "Mommy... Daddy..." he whispered emotionally.</p><p>The couple came around him before they all shared a family hug as they all ended up crying.</p><p>Lionel smiled. "I just love these happy moments," he remarked. "Especially since they don't come around too often."</p><p>"Too true." Thor had to agree.</p><p>Drell smiled as he was about to walk off only for Atticus's father to grab him and pull him into the tearful hug. "Alright, I'm all for family reunions, but this is going on too long!" he then told them.</p><p>"Strange as it sounds, Drell is right," Mo replied. "We need to get you out of here before Sombra rears his ugly head again!"</p><p>Drell soon broke out of the group hug.</p><p>"Yeah, we should go," Atticus sniffled a bit as he wiped his eyes. "Mom and Dad... Ooh, that feels weird to say..."</p><p>"Yeah, let's go... Erm... Mr. and Mrs. Atticus's parents..." Cherry said to the couple.</p><p>"Mr. and Mrs. Fudo, we were told that you had been imprisoned here by Sombra," explained Lionel. "That's why we came: to get you two out!"</p><p>"We have," Atticus's father replied. "I guess you could try to help us out, but if you have magic, it might come out strangely."</p><p>"Yes, be careful." Atticus's mother added.</p><p>"Don't worry," Thor smirked. "We can get you out of here like a bobcat missing dinner reservations."</p><p>"....What?!" Cherry asked.</p><p>"Sorry, my little sister watches weird cartoons a lot," Thor said sheepishly. "Let's just get out of here while we still have the time."</p><p>Lionel nodded, and they led Atticus' parents out.</p><p>"Alright, we can get back to the exit if we hustle." said Patch.</p><p>"Oh! Hi, doggy." Atticus's mother smiled.</p><p>"Hi, there," Patch smiled before gulping as he saw Spyro. "Erm... Hello there to you too."</p><p>"Come on, Patrick and Emily," Drell told the couple. "We'll talk after we're through here."</p><p>"Right." The couple replied.</p><p>And so they made their way back to the entrance point.</p><p>"...In order to make sure nothing goes wrong, I'm just gonna say that this was... An alright mission." replied Lionel.</p><p>"It truly was..." Mo added. "I'm glad we met you... Uh... Atticus, what was your last name before Clark adopted you?"</p><p>"Fudo." Atticus replied.</p><p>"Right," Mo said. "I'm glad we met you, Mr. and Mrs. Fudo."</p><p>"Likewise," Patrick smiled. "You seem like a nice girl."</p><p>Mo blushed happily from that.</p><p>"Well, we can chat more once we're back in the Mortal Realm." said Lionel.</p><p>"Yeah, we can't waste too much time in the Gray Area," Drell replied. "It'll start getting trippy like when I borrowed potions from that wizard from when Patrick and I were boys when we had stress."</p><p>"Right, Drell, I remember..." Patrick nodded.</p><p>"Xanax..." The two memorized from their childhood during the Middle Ages.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Funny..." said Thor. "You'd think we'd actually run into Mr. Big, Mean and Ugly somewhere in here. But then we probably might have to fight him to get to the exit."</p><p>"Are you talking about me?" A sharp voice asked right behind them.</p><p>"Actually, yes!" Thor smiled. "Wait... Who said that?"</p><p>King Sombra grinned as he stepped out from the darkness.</p><p>"Erm... H-H-Hello there, Uncle Sombra..." Atticus said to him.</p><p>"Your timing is impeccable," remarked Lionel as he cracked his knuckles. "I been waiting for a chance to finally square off with you... And I got plenty of frustrations that I've built up."</p><p>"I'm sure you do," King Sombra smirked before he grabbed Cherry by her collar. "Hello, Cerise."</p><p>"Please stop touching me." Cherry begged.</p><p>"Hahaha... <em>Never</em>..." King Sombra told her darkly.</p><p>"Get off of her!" Atticus glared. "She's my best friend!"</p><p>"So you say," King Sombra smirked before shoving Cherry against Drell. "Let's settle this with a little duel."</p><p>"Uh-huh," Lionel replied as his eyes glowed red. "NEVER touch her like that EVER again." He stepped forward, and let out a furious, primal roar.</p><p>King Sombra chuckled. "You sure are interesting."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Cherry rolled her eyes.</p><p>"So, your precious little boyfriend is gonna try to stop me," King Sombra smirked. "It amazes me of how someone like you could find a special somebody."</p><p>"Oh?" asked Lionel. "This coming from the fool who is so pathetic that after <em>one</em> girl rejects him, he immediately decides, 'Oh, hey, if I can't be happy, then nobody can! I'll just curse this random girl with misfortune since she befriended my heir, since her life isn't possibly bad enough'! How childish can you get?!"</p><p>King Sombra soon shot a magical blast at him with dark crystals coming up from the ground.</p><p>Lionel somersaulted over the crystals and vanished...only to deliver a spin-kick to Sombra's face. "And there's <em>plenty</em> more where that came from!" he remarked. "I need some fight music!"</p><p>"Hmm... Okay..." Thor said as he poofed up a radio with his magic. "Phew... It worked..."</p><p>"You got lucky, Shorty." Drell replied.</p><p>"Hmm... Eye of the Tiger?" Thor offered.</p><p>Lionel pondered. "I got it..." he then took out a CD and put it in, then turned it on: the song "Phat Planet" by Leftfield began playing.</p><p>"Uncle Sombra, it doesn't have to be this way." Atticus frowned.</p><p>"You had your chance," Sombra glared with beady red eyes. "Unfortunately it wasn't a very good one."</p><p>"Some uncle <em>you</em> are," snapped Lionel. "You think ruining the lives of others and driving away your nephew's best friend will get him to follow your evil plans! Then you're not just pathetic... You're as dumb as a slug."</p><p>Just then, Sombra looked upwards, only to see a grand piano come crashing down on his head. Lionel cracked his knuckles and played a few notes with one finger. Patrick and Emily held onto Atticus as they watched this.</p><p>"Who is that?" Emily asked.</p><p>"Ah, that's Lionel Schwartz from the 5th Dimension, and... Well... He can tell ya when he's done with Sombra." Drell replied.</p><p>Sombra growled as he shakily came out while shooting dark magic from his horn at Lionel. Lionel yanked his midsection upwards, downtown, left and right to dodge a few of the magic blasts until one nicked him in the back. He turned towards Sombra, his eyes now glowing a solid blood-red, and a guttural growl in his throat. Cherry turned away a bit as she felt a little uncomfortable. Drell looked to her, he reached out, but hesitated a few times until he finally decided to hold her to comfort her. Lionel arched his back and lunged at Sombra like an angry cat, resulting in a whirlwind of a fight cloud. Eventually, Lionel leapt back out, leaving the evil unicorn covered head to hoof in bleeding claw marks, bruises, scrapes, and a black eye.</p><p>"Is it over?" Cherry muffled.</p><p>"Uh, yeah, it's over..." Drell said with wide eyes as he looked a bit surprised. "Jeez, Louise, Lionel!"</p><p>"Hopefully we can rest off the shock back home before we have to do anything else?" Atticus suggested as he held Mo who seemed to be emotional from the quite literal blood bath.</p><p>"Awesome..." Thor whispered with amazement.</p><p>"What?" asked Lionel. "Don't act like he didn't have this coming for a long time!"</p><p>"Sorry, Lionel," Mo said softly. "I just don't like a lot of blood."</p><p>"...I apologize," replied Lionel. "Though he pushed my buttons. I simply pushed right back."</p><p>"Lionel, I have to say, that was both amazing and scary," Drell smiled a bit. "I'm really impressed."</p><p>Lionel took a bow. "Now let's get out of here," he stated. "Our mission is finished."</p><p>"Mom, Dad, we're going home." Atticus smiled at his long-lost parents.</p><p>Patrick and Emily smiled back happily.</p><hr/><p>Back at Atticus's house, Jessica paced around as she waited with Skippy who watched TV in the background. The doorway to the Other Realm opened up, and the group returned, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Fudo, as well as Spyro.</p><p>"Special delivery~!" Lionel sang as he slammed the door behind him.</p><p>"Spyro, is that you?" Jessica smiled at the purple dragon.</p><p>The dragon seemed to beam at her before flying out into her arms and licked her face like a dog.</p><p>"Down, boy, down!" Jessica laughed as she hugged him.</p><p>"So... You guys have a pet dragon?" Atticus asked his parents.</p><p>"Well, it was really hard when you were taken from us as a baby," Patrick frowned. "One night, I came to check our garden because I heard something when we were asleep. Being in the Gray Area of the Netherworld was not easy, especially with how everything was not as it seemed. I couldn't find who or what had eaten our crops, but I found a big egg left behind."</p><p>"We were about to eat it for breakfast, but we heard a heartbeat and decided to raise the egg until it would hatch," Emily added. "Eventually, Spyro was born and we decided to teach him to be like a guard dragon and family pet. He couldn't feel the deep, aching empty hole of losing you, but we loved him like family."</p><p>Atticus beamed at that. "That's pretty sweet."</p><p>Patch and Spyro looked to each other as they sniffed each other a bit.</p><p>"Oh... Who's this...?" Emily asked.</p><p>"That's my dog, Patch," Atticus smiled. "My dad--... Erm... Clark let me adopt him sometime after I found out about Atlantis with Aquaman."</p><p>"Atlantis..." Emily sighed softly as she put her hands together in memory. "Oh, my favorite sister Athena."</p><p>Atticus hugged his mother quietly, gently patting her on the back.</p><p>"Mom... Dad... It's good to see you again." Jessica smiled.</p><p>"I'm glad you made it out of that barrier to go see your brother," Patrick smiled back. "We were worried about you, especially since you rarely use your Wiccan magic."</p><p>"I was keeping a low profile," Jessica replied. "Making sure nobody outed me for having magical powers."</p><p>"Very good, we taught you well." Patrick approved.</p><p>"I was glad to do it," Jessica smiled as she ruffled up Atticus's hair. "Especially with seeing this little stinker again."</p><p>"Aw, Jessie." Atticus chuckled bashfully.</p><p>"Well... At long last, the prophecy is fulfilled, and the Fudo family is whole once more!" Thor proclaimed.</p><p>Lionel nodded in agreement. "I do believe this calls for a celebration." he replied.</p><p>Skippy made an excited looking face.</p><p>"Aw, Skippy, you haven't changed a bit." Patrick laughed from that.</p><hr/><p>LJ, Zofia, Felicity, and Terry looked to each other from afar.</p><p>"Don't we have work to do?" Felicity sighed.</p><p>LJ sighed. "Sadly, yes," he replied. "Cosmic Boy is still missing, and the Fatal 5's other members are undoubtedly on the run."</p><p>"It's just a little party," Terry said to them. "They got what they wanted."</p><p>"Terrence, this is serious." Zofia replied sharply.</p><p>"Hey! Cool it with the Terrence stuff, alright?" Terry replied defensively.</p><p>LJ sighed. "Zofia is right. We can join in later." he replied as he got up.</p><p>"We can't waste time," Felicity said. "Happy day for Uncle or not."</p><p>Terry groaned a bit. "All right... We'll get to work." he then said with defeat.</p><hr/><p>And so, reluctantly, the quartet set off in search of their missing comrade... As well as the three criminals.</p><p>"Hopefully they haven't gone too far." Felicity said as she led the way.</p><p>"Not to mention CB's medication," replied LJ. "How's he supposed to get it if it doesn't exist yet here?"</p><p>Felicity sighed. "I'm deeply unsure."</p><p>LJ saw and hugged her gently.</p><p>"Sorry," Felicity said with a small smile. "I guess I'm just a little worried about the future."</p><p>"As are we," LJ replied.</p><p>Just then, Terry's flight ring began beeping. "Good news, guys. I got a lock on Cosmic Boy." he stated.</p><p>"Alphanumeric!" exclaimed LJ. "Where is he?"</p><p>Zofia looked over the tracker. "Apparently he's being held at Justice League headquarters." she replied.</p><p>"Looks like we're headed on a field trip to the Hall of Justice." remarked LJ.</p><p>"Let's go then," Zofia said. "Let's not waste any time. Despite how primitive things may look around here."</p><p>"She's right." Felicity agreed.</p><p>LJ nodded. "Crankshaft: MAXIMIZE!!" he exclaimed, as his body formed into a sabertooth tiger with a metallic coating. "Let's burn rubber, guys. Time to switch to Maximal mode!"</p><p>"Right!" The others agreed.</p><p>Felicity and Zofia changed into panthers while Terry began to look like a wolf-dog. Once they were set, they dashed off to the Hall of Justice.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, in the city, Tharok (the cyborg guy), Mano (green guy), and Persuader (dude with the axe), were overlooking the scenery.</p><p>"She's here somewhere..." growled Mano. He turned to Persuader. "Flush her out."</p><p>It seemed to be a happy, normal day in the city so far, but of course, that would change very soon. Persuader soon jumped out and chopped at a tree with his axe which made a man yelp out and run off as that had startled him. The man rushed off as Persuader then kicked a parked car out onto the road just as a woman drove down the road to see that. Eventually, the woman crashed in front of the car and some other cars crashed against her, colliding them together. Mano destroyed a car with his corrosive touch, and the guy stumbled out, bumping into Tharok.</p><p>As Tharok turned his hand into a plasma cannon, the guy made a run for it, and Tharok blew up a hot dog stand and then continued his assault on the town and its people. People ran all around in horror as their city was being attacked and invaded by these terrible three. Eventually, word got out about this whole mess which led to an emergency news broadcast.</p><p>"We're getting reports of gunfire and multiple explosions near a food cart pod downtown," said the reporter. "The chaos appears to be the work of at least three costumed assailants with high-tech weaponry and body armor."</p><p>A girl with black hair was shown to be trying to eat a cheese sandwich until she heard the news, so she put it down as she had a job to do. "I can do this." she told herself calmly.</p><hr/><p>Atticus kept celebrating with his friends until they saw the news as Thor accidentally sat on the TV remote.</p><p>"Guess we better 86 the celebration," said Lionel. "Before that creep squad slags everyone in sight!"</p><p>"Sorry, Mom... Sorry, Dad..." Atticus told his parents. "See you later?"</p><p>"Oh, you're a superhero, Atticus?" Emily asked.</p><p>"It's a long story, and I know you might worry about my safety, but trust me; it'll be okay." Atticus replied calmly.</p><p>"He's right," agreed Lionel. "Jerks like this come crawlin' outta the woodwork on the daily, but they're not much problem for us."</p><p>"Hmm..." Emily pouted as she was a mother and it was her job to worry.</p><p>"I'll be fine, I promise," Atticus smiled. "We'll do some family bonding later."</p><p>"Well... Okay..." Emily said.</p><p>The kids soon bolted off and changed into their hero guises as it was, well, hero time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Meanwhile in town, a large truck got blasted, causing it to careen onto its side and release three rolling steel pipes, which would've flattened the citizens if not for a certain Power Ring's energy converting into the form of a ramp and making the pipes fly into the air and land on some guy's car.</p><p>"What the hell?!" exclaimed the guy as Jessica Cruz made herself known.</p><p>"That's what insurance is for!" The girl replied.</p><p>A blast soon shot out which sent her flying into a building and she fell flat on the ground from that. Jessica groaned as she looked up from the road where she had landed.</p><p>"You're coming with us," Tharok told her sharply as he floated down with the others. "If you resist, my colleague here is called The Persuader for a reason."</p><p>"Leave her alone!" A voice called out from not too far away.</p><p>It was Star Boy, now accompanied by Quad Star, Energex, Felicity, and Batman Beyond.</p><p>"Let's. Get. Dangerous!!" Quad Star exclaimed, shifting into stone mode.</p><p>Jessica looked up with amazement. Star Boy was soon shot at which sent him flying back.</p><p>"I suppose I'll see if these guys are afraid of the dark..." Felicity said before smirking a bit. "I sure hope that you guys aren't."</p><p>Energex looked a little startled from her older sister's dark sense of humor as they helped out.</p><p>"Run!" Star Boy told Jessica urgently.</p><p>Tharok aimed his hand blaster and fired, knocking Star Boy into a wall. In retaliation, Jessica used her Lantern Ring to blast Tharok and Mano. She tried to do the same to Persuader, but he was beating back her energy power like it was nothing. Jessica yelped as she got hit with some sort of electrical charge as Persuader continued to pursue after her. Persuader soon grabbed the girl by her throat as this looked like a bad sign for her. Star Boy looked concerned about that.</p><p>"Seems like this era hasn't been treating you too well, Star Boy." Tharok mocked the young hero.</p><p>Star Boy just put out his hands and caused a fissure to break open under the three villains, making Persuader lose his grip on Jessica, so she socked him in the face. She then flew over, grabbed Star Boy and his friends via energy bubble, and flew off. The villains groaned from their sudden defeat.</p><p>"Well, that was easy..." Felicity muttered a bit.</p><hr/><p>Soon as they were out of danger, Jessica tossed them down onto the ground. "Okay, who the hell are you, and what is going on?!" she ordered.</p><p>"You want those questions answered in any specific order?" asked Quad Star.</p><p>"Yeah, wait up." Energex added.</p><p>"Star Boy, he just said it," Star Boy reminded Jessica. "And you shouldn't have used your ring."</p><p>"Why?" Jessica asked.</p><p>"When lambs are lost in the mountain, they cry," Felicity advised. "Sometimes come the mother, sometimes the wolf."</p><p>"Who are the wolves?" Jessica asked.</p><p>"The Five." Felicity replied.</p><p>"I counted three." Jessica retorted.</p><p>"Looks like three, but it's five," Star Boy told her. "I remember."</p><p>"Yeah, try not to overthink it." Batman Beyond advised.</p><p>Just then, a piece of the building behind them was smashed open; luckily, Jessica shielded them from any debris, though the villainous trio was responsible for it.</p><p>"Stay put, girl, there's nowhere to run." remarked Mano.</p><p>Quad Star snickered. "Who said anything about running?" he asked.</p><p>Suddenly, Miss Martian rose out from the floor, accompanied by Mr. Terrific, Wonder Woman, and Batman, who swung down from out of nowhere.</p><p>"It's him" Felicity gasped from seeing Batman.</p><p>"Well, well," Persuader remarked. "Ye old Justice League. Where's your friend?" he then asked. "Still licking his wounds?"</p><p>"I don't know who you are but--" Wonder Woman glared.</p><p>"Ah, yes. The 21st-century pleasantries," Mano replied. "I am Mano, this is Tharok, and this is--"</p><p>"Dead man walking?" Wonder Woman narrowed her eyes.</p><p>"Oh, snap." Energex smirked off that reply.</p><p>Persuader threw his axe at them; luckily, they dodged, but Persuader used the opportunity to tackle Wonder Woman, and Tharok fired a stream of mini-missiles. Miss Martian was able to make herself intangible, but the car behind her exploded, flinging her forward. Mr. Terrific tried to shield himself only to get pushed back himself. Felicity's eyes seemed to glow brightly as a black aura rose above her before she soon was engulfed in the darkness as she slithered over like a snake to kick away the Fatal 5. Tharok glared from that before shooting a beam of light onto the ground to break her darkness, pushing her away and seeming to zap her like a laser shot.</p><p>"HEY!! <em>NOBODY</em> DOES THAT TO MY SISTER!!" Quad Star roared as he launched a magma blast to melt Tharok's hand off.</p><p>"Little runt!" Tharok glared from that as he attempted to dodge.</p><p>"Runt?! More like a <strong>SPITFIRE!!</strong>" Quad Star retorted as he decided to switch from magma to liquid nitrogen, freezing Tharok in his tracks.</p><p>Felicity groaned a bit as she rubbed her head.</p><p>"You okay?" Batman Beyond asked as he held out his hand for her.</p><p>"Yeah, I'll be fine, thanks." Felicity said as she took his hand before standing up next to him.</p><p>"Don't get too comfy, guys," advised Quad Star. "We still got two more to slag here!"</p><p>"Right," Felicity said as she crossed her arms. "Hopefully I still got some dark magic up my sleeves."</p><p>"We'll need it." Energex approved.</p><p>Wonder Woman soon began to square off against Persuader.</p><p>"Aw, yeah," Energex beamed from that. "Time for me to help out."</p><p>"What are her powers?" Wonder Woman wondered.</p><p>"Energy absorption, as well as shooting it right BACK at enemies." Quad Star explained.</p><p>"Hmm... Impressive." Wonder Woman remarked as Energex began to demonstrate just exactly what she could do.</p><p>Tharok tried to fire his blaster again, but Energex had sapped it of its energy and fired it right back at him, knocking him off his feet.</p><p>"Way to go, Energex!" Quad Star cheered. "Hm... Now that we know Felicity's a hero, should she have a new name? Possibly something less... Morally ambiguous?"</p><p>"Probably easier to pronounce too with that Frenchy stuff." Batman Beyond added.</p><p>"Can't help it," Felicity said as she helped out with dark-bending. "But I suppose you're right."</p><p>"How about... Nightblade?" suggested Quad Star.</p><p>"Hmm... Maybe..." Felicity paused.</p><p>"Noir Silver?" Energex tried.</p><p>"That one's pretty good too." Felicity replied.</p><p>"Okay, both good ideas." Batman Beyond replied.</p><p>"They are," Felicity agreed with them. "Oh! Look out!"</p><p>Wonder Woman kneed Mano away from her only to get blasted against a car from Persuader.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, the others were on their way.</p><p>"Okay, we should be coming around here based on the energy signal." Thunder Boy told the others as he rode on a storm cloud that was like a hovercar.</p><p>"Great," replied Bat-Mite. "Let's hope we haven't missed out on any of the action!"</p><p>"We should be almost there." Thunder Boy smiled a bit.</p><p>"Good to see you focused, buddy." Saiya Man approved.</p><p>"I try my best." Thunder Boy saluted.</p><p>The storm cloud soon rumbled with lighting streaks shooting out as Thunder Boy was about to land with it as thunder rumbled from it.</p><p>"Eat, thunder, ya mooks!" Thunder Boy grinned.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, Mr. Terrific was taking on Tharok and Mano, using his T-Spheres to send them flying. Suddenly, Persuader took off into the sky, and Wonder Woman and Mr. Terrific flew after him.</p><p>"Help Persuader," said Mano. "I'll handle the others."</p><p>Tharok nodded and flew off after them. Saiya Man landed next to Wonder Woman.</p><p>"I thought you were taking some time off." Wonder Woman said to him.</p><p>"I thought you could use a little help." Saiya Man replied as he took a car and threw it at the villains.</p><p>Suddenly, a loud crash was heard from nearby; turns out Mano had used his corrosive power to destroy a parking garage and Batman and the others with it. And so, he strolled through the destruction to check out his handiwork when he saw Miss Martian. He kneeled down and reached towards her, but she beat him to the punch.</p><p>"Heard you were grabby..." The alien remarked as she delivered a few punches to his dome-covered face.</p><p>Persuader soon flew off with Jessica in his arm.</p><p>"Who <em>is</em> that?" Saiya Man asked as Wonder Woman took out her golden lasso.</p><p>"You let me worry about that," Wonder Woman told him as she got ready to fly off. "You and your friends can help, but stay out of trouble."</p><p>"I'm not a little kid, you know." Saiya Man pouted a bit.</p><p>Wonder Woman soon flew away from him, leaving him alone at first.</p><p>"All right... Who wants a blast of energy?" Saiya Man soon glared as he tried not to let that bother him.</p><p>Bat-Mite threw a label shaped like a stop sign that stuck to Persuader's back, and he ground to a halt in mid-air, causing him to drop Jessica. Luckily, Mr. Terrific caught her, but Tharok had his laser hand primed to fire... Until he heard loud crunching noises. He held up his laser hand and saw it was being devoured by metal-munching termites!</p><p>"Hope I didn't <em>bug</em> you too badly!" Bat-Mite cackled like the Cryptkeeper.</p><p>"Metal eating bugs...?" Wonder Woman asked Bat-Mite. "I didn't think those existed."</p><p>"They <em>don't,"</em> Bat-Mite replied. "<em>I</em> made them myself."</p><p>"Superman and Batman did say that you were different..." Wonder Woman said.</p><p>"Not different, just unique," Thunder Boy smiled as he came by Bat-Mite. "Just like me."</p><p>"Aye." Bat-Mite nodded. </p><p>Just then, Tharok managed to get off one good shot before his arm was completely eaten, knocking Jessica out of Mr. Terrific's hands and sending her plummeting once again. But before she could hit the ground, a flash of red and blue flew by and saved her.</p><p>"And just in the nick of time, too." Nature Girl smirked as Superman had flown in to the rescue.</p><p>"Yay!" Saiya Man beamed once he caught a glimpse of Superman.</p><p>"Don't you have a puzzle to solve?" Superman asked.</p><p>"Yes, I know, but I can't wait to tell you more about that," Saiya Man beamed. "The most amazing thing had happened--"</p><p>"We'll talk later, I gotta go." Superman said as he soon flew off to save Jessica.</p><p>"To me..." Saiya Man finished with a sigh. "...Wonder Woman, Superman, why are you ignoring me?"</p><p>"Well, they <em>are</em> kinda busy right now." Nature Girl told him.</p><p>"In case you haven't noticed, they're in the <strong>MIDDLE OF A FIGHT!!</strong>" Bat-Mite pointed out. "Or did you forget?"</p><p>"I just wanted to tell them that we solved the puzzle about my parents," Saiya Man said softly. "I was so excited."</p><p>"Ah, buddy, you can always tell them later." Thunder Boy smiled.</p><p>"Yeah... I guess..." Saiya Man replied.</p><p>"Preferably at a time when they're <em>not</em> in the middle of a fight," Bat-Mite replied. "Don't wanna seem too selfish, you know."</p><p>"I guess..." Saiya Man said.</p><p>"Come on, don't be like that," Lady Gothika told him. "There'll be plenty of time to socialize after we kick bad guy butt."</p><p>"Right." Saiya Man nodded from that as he decided to retain his focus.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, Mano was still battling Miss Martian, and it looked like she had him on the ropes, but he then smashed a motorcycle, generating a ring of fire around her, causing her to leap back in fright.</p><p>"Mano. Superman's back," Tharok's voice reported. "He's got the girl."</p><p>"Everyone, regroup." Mano then commanded.</p><p>Miss Martian looked scared as she was trapped with the fire until Batman swooped over the flames to save her. Batman held onto her, but she still felt scared.</p><p>"He's under there," Miss Martian told the Dark Knight with worry. "I can't get near him."</p><p>"I think we can help with <em>that</em>!" Bat-Mite exclaimed as he popped up nearby. Cocking his hand like a rifle, he fired away and disintegrated the debris around them.</p><p>Saiya Man took a very deep breath and soon blew away the flames with his Super Breath like a child blowing out their birthday cake candles. Superman smiled proudly from that as he landed over with Jessica in his arms. Star Boy was soon coming out as he was being freed.</p><p>"Yep-yep! Just call us the clean-up crew!" Bat-Mite grinned. "Not professionally, of course..."</p><p>"I'm sorry we weren't listening to you earlier." Wonder Woman said to Saiya Man.</p><p>"Oh, it's okay," Saiya Man replied. "I guess I was just so psyched to tell you my news that I wasn't thinking straight."</p><p>"Alright, now that things have wound down, you can tell them." replied Thunder Boy.</p><p>"What's on your mind, kiddo?" Superman asked.</p><p>"Well... Okay... As you know, for the past weeks or so, I've been working on that puzzle to find out where my parents are after we found out they were actually alive somewhere." Saiya Man began.</p><p>"Of course," Wonder Woman replied. "We voiced our support for you since you're our son too."</p><p>"Well... Uh... I finally solved it..." Saiya Man told the two heroes who were his parental figures for the past while now. "So, I found my parents."</p><p>"Yep," replied Bat-Mite. "We found them, saved them, and brought them back home."</p><p>"Well, that's great, son!" Superman smiled. "Congratulations."</p><p>"Oh, um, thank you!" Saiya Man beamed happily from that.</p><p>"I just gotta ask though... Who are you gonna live with after this?" Lady Gothika spoke up.</p><p>"Huh...?" Saiya Man asked as that pulled him out of his reverie. "Oh... Gosh... I guess I hadn't thought about that..."</p><p>"I guess you could still live with Supes and Wondy," Bat-Mite shrugged. "And maybe bring your parents?"</p><p>"Hmm... I need to think about this..." Saiya Man said.</p><p>"Well, in the meantime, let's get out of here." Batman suggested.</p><p>"Alright," replied Quad Star. "Back to the Hall of Justice."</p><hr/><p>They soon left the scene of the crime while they still had the chance. Shortly, they all returned to the Hall of Justice.</p><p>"Hmm... Mm... Mm... La, la, la, la, la~..." Thunder Boy sang as he decided to make sandwiches for himself and his friends.</p><p>"You're chipper this evening." Lady Gothika crossed her arms a bit.</p><p>"Just so happy that Atticus found his parents and we saved the day in the same day!" Thunder Boy beamed. "Isn't that awesome?!"</p><p>"I guess it's pretty cool," smiled Lionel, taking off his mask. "I guess this universe is finally becoming a bit more lighthearted."</p><p>"Even if Sabrina still seems a little unhappy..." Mo shrugged. "At least she got over some of the jealousy she had with how Hilda and Zelda seem to look after us like their own kids whenever we need their help."</p><p>"Yeah," Lionel nodded. "Maybe we could find her another place to live."</p><p>"But where?" Cherry pondered with a shrug.</p><p>"That always seems to be an issue... Finding out where to live after all this time..." Atticus said to himself as he felt distracted with his own dilemmas.</p><p>"Dude, we're talking about Sabrina, not you." retorted Lionel.</p><p>"Huh? Oh, yeah..." Atticus replied.</p><p>"You still don't know what to do about your family complex, huh?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"I guess I just thought the answer would be obvious once I would solve my family secret," Atticus sulked. "I guess I just didn't think of what would actually happen once we would find my actual parents."</p><p>"I guess you find a living situation and continue living your best life," replied Lionel. "In the meantime, I guess Sabrina could crash with us until we figure something else out."</p><p>"Mm-hmm..." Atticus nodded. "That sounds like a good idea with both accounts."</p><p>"Alrighty then, glad we got <em>that</em> settled," Lionel replied. "Oh-kay, Chef Thor, what's on the ol' menu tonight?"</p><p>"Ooh, lots of sandwiches," Thor smiled. "Ya got your BLTs, your turkey clubs, your grilled cheeses, your pizza burgers, anything but the typical PB&amp;J. Also, my own creation: The Brain Food Bunzilla."</p><p>"What is that?" Cherry asked about that last part.</p><p>"It's peanut butter and fish on a toasted bun." Thor smiled.</p><p>Cherry looked at him like he was insane.</p><p>"Don't knock it 'til you try it." Thor advised.</p><p>"Is the fish at least fried?" Lionel asked. "I dunno why, but I'm in a fried mood this week."</p><p>"I have fried and baked." Thor smiled as he let him try his new concoction.</p><p>Lionel took a few bites... Then gobbled it down. He then looked at Thor, and calmly put his hand on his shoulder. "...Sometimes I wish I could marry you, man." he spoke.</p><p>"Gaaah...?" Thor looked wide-eyed and a bit overly happy from that.</p><p>"And the true bromance begins." Cherry smirked from that.</p><p>"I love ya, man." Lionel replied as he hugged Thor... Or at least tried to, since his arms were a bit short.</p><p>Thor helped Lionel up into the hug.</p><p>"Now kiss!" Cherry smirked.</p><p>Lionel blanched. "I think we can wait for a little while until doing that," he replied as his face went red. "I mean, this is all happening so fast, and I don't wanna do anything if he's not cool with it firsthand..."</p><p>"I love ya too, Lionel, but I'm a little bashful about that," Thor smiled nervously. "I have a commitment with my pillow after all."</p><p>"Hey, that's perfectly fine," replied Lionel. "I just want us to both be on the same page with this sorta thing, you know? Like if we <em>do</em> eventually kiss, then I wanna be sure that we <em>both</em> make that choice."</p><p>"Uh... Okay...?" Atticus shrugged, not sure what to make of his friends right now.</p><p>"Mm-hmm..." Thor said as he rubbed his arm bashfully.</p><p>"Everything alright, Kitten?" A voice asked as a certain cat-based woman appeared beside the perky goth.</p><p>"Huh? Oh, hey... Yeah, I think we're all good for a while." Cherry told her new parental guardian.</p><p>"Yeah, pretty much," Lionel replied. "Atticus got reunited with his parents, and I'm feeling like I might be bisexual."</p><p>Selina looked curious from the other part.</p><p>"He seems to be in love with Thor." Cherry explained.</p><p>"Hmm... Interesting..." Selina remarked.</p><p>"And yet, I still care deeply about Cherry," replied Lionel. "I love the both of 'em the same amount, but I hate feeling like I gotta choose, ya know?"</p><p>"Hmm... Yes..." Selina smirked. "Have you considered polygamy?"</p><p>Mo did a spit take from her carrot juice from that suggestion.</p><p>Lionel pondered. "Not really cuz I dunno what that is, but it's worth consideration."</p><p>"That's when three people share a relationship together," Selina replied. "I saw a trio of kids trying that out with hanging out with a ghost friend of theirs they call The Funky Phantom."</p><p>"Heh... You learn something new every day..." Atticus said bashfully.</p><p>"Believe me, I know," Selina slyly smirked. "I won't think any less of you though, Kitten. In fact, I feel happy for you to get this sort of attention from the boys."</p><p>Lionel jotted down notes. "Very interesting... Thanks for the info." he replied.</p><p>"I guess you could say that Cherry is starting to blossom!" Patch remarked.</p><p>"Cherry Blossom!" Thor beamed from that.</p><p>The others looked from that.</p><p>"...I'm sorry." Thor said bashfully.</p><p>"No, don't be; it was clever," replied Lionel. "Also symbolic."</p><p>Thor beamed again as that made his day a bit as he ate a Brain Food Bunzilla for himself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Batman walked by sharply.</p><p>"Sir!" Cherry called out as she jumped to her feet with a salute to him.</p><p>"I have to go deep into someone's mind," Batman said. "Will you be alright by yourself?"</p><p>"I won't be alone," Cherry replied. "I got my friends with me."</p><p>"Yeah! We got her back!" Mo replied.</p><p>"From here on out, forever ever after." Atticus added.</p><p>Batman gave a small smile as he looked happy for Cherry.</p><p>"My little kitten's growing up." Selina beamed.</p><p>Lionel nodded. "Yep... Like a chrysanthemum!" he added.</p><p>"Hm." Cherry shrugged bashfully.</p><p>"Why don't I go with you?" Selina asked Batman as she wrapped her arms around him. "Sometimes the bat needs a little help from the cat."</p><p>"Go ahead, you two, have your fun," Lionel chuckled. "We'll stay and hold down the ol' fort."</p><p>"Hm... All right..." Batman replied. "See you around."</p><p>"See you." The kids nodded from that.</p><p>Batman soon walked off with Selina as she tightened into her Catwoman outfit.</p><p>"Guess I'll finish up some homework real quick." Cherry said as she took out her school bag.</p><p>"Well... Okay," Lionel replied, before glancing at Thor. "...You know, I'd be glad to help with the food."</p><p>"Hm? Oh, okay!" Thor smiled as he used magic in his hands which brought out a chef's hat for him and let him wear it. "I hereby dub you as my Co-Chef Lionel."</p><p>Lionel took the hat and put it on. "I'll wear it with pride, my friend." he smiled, his eyes wet with tears of joy.</p><p>"I love to hear that," Thor beamed. "I made it just for you."</p><p>Lionel blushed. "For MOI? Aw, geez, big guy...." he smiled.</p><p>"I was joking about the bromance!" Cherry told them.</p><p>"Who says I am?" Thor replied bashfully.</p><p>Cherry looked between the two a bit.</p><p>"I might consider it..." Thor said. "I just hope that my parents don't kick me out."</p><p>"Hey, if they do, then you can live with me." Lionel replied.</p><p>"Ooh... Where do you live...?" Thor asked. "Wait, have I been to your house? I don't remember."</p><p>"I don't think you have, pal." Cherry told him to make him stop worrying now.</p><p>"I haven't, but I can make a house with my magic," replied Lionel. "I been practicin'. How do ya think Wayne Manor is always in such great condition every time you get home from school?"</p><p>"I thought that was just luck." Cherry shrugged.</p><p>"I thought you didn't believe in luck." Atticus smirked.</p><p>"Ah, shush, you know what I mean." Cherry retorted.</p><p>"My point still stands," Lionel replied. "Okay, Thor... If you could customize your own house, what would you put in it?"</p><p>"Aw, gee... I guess a personal gym so I can practice for sparring," Thor replied. "I have a muscle dummy that I use that looks like a strongman you'd see at the circus."</p><p>Lionel jotted down these statements as notes. "Mm-hmm... Personal gym...."</p><p>"Yeah, gotta keep a good eye on these sick puppies." Thor smirked as he rolled up his sleeve to show a muscle before flexing his arm with a heavy grunt.</p><p>"Huh... All this time I thought you were just fat..." Cherry said.</p><p>"Subtle, Cherry." Patch deadpanned from that.</p><p>"Alrighty then," Lionel replied. "Anything else before I begin my work?"</p><p>"Hmm... Maybe a nice big kitchen?" Thor suggested. "I do like to cook."</p><p>"Oh... Uh... R-Really...?" Cherry asked almost bashfully.</p><p>"Oh, sure, you think these sandwiches are just for show?" Thor smiled. "I love to cook my own food."</p><p>Cherry smiled sheepishly. "That's pretty fascinating... I like a guy who can cook his own food."</p><p>"Alright then!" Lionel smiled before he wiggled his fingers and fired a single orange blast of magic outside. </p><p>It shot into the ground like a seed.</p><p>"Give it a couple of seconds..." Lionel said as he checked his pocket watch.</p><p>The others gathered around to see what would happen next.</p><p>"So, you cool with you, me, and Lionel being a threesome?" Thor asked with a smirk and a wink to the perky goth. "Eh, Cherry?"</p><p>"Uh... Um... Heheh..." Cherry chuckled sheepishly from that.</p><p>"It's cool," replied Lionel. "Even if both Thor and I like you, you don't have to answer right away. Think it over first."</p><p>"Yeah, sorry, it's just a lot to think about right now," Cherry said. "It was kinda sudden and all."</p><p>"Fair enough," Thor smiled. "I'm pretty excited though. I never had a boyfriend AND a girlfriend before."</p><p>"Likewise," Lionel replied. "It's strange, but fun."</p><hr/><p>Just then, the ground began to rumble. Like a plant growing forth, a house suddenly sprouted from the ground, fully formed and powered, Wi-Fi and all. Atticus moved Cherry and Mo out of the way just to be safe.</p><p>"Aweeesome..." Thor whispered with amazement. "It's like something out of a cartoon."</p><p>Lionel blushed at that. "D'awww... Thanks~" he smiled.</p><p>"It does look pretty nice, Lionel," Atticus remarked. "We'll make sure to visit."</p><p>"Thanks," Lionel replied. "Also bring a housewarming present the first time."</p><p>"Sure thing, bud," Atticus smiled. "Hopefully I'll have a plan for my parents by then."</p><p>"Here's hoping!" Lionel replied.</p><p>"I just... Don't know what to do for that yet..." Atticus sighed. "Will I even still see all of you guys again?"</p><p>"Oh, Atticus..." Mo pouted as she softly looked at him. "I will always be with you~..." she then began to sing at him to help cheer him up as he looked down in the dumps so far about choosing between his adoptive parents and birth parents after all this time. "Makes no difference where your road takes you to, Even if we're apart, now we're joined at the heart., Though our moment may be gone, you and I will still live on~"</p><p>"Does this really call for a musical number?" Cherry deadpanned to herself.</p><p>"I will always be with you~," Atticus sang back to Mo. "I'll be by your side whatever you do, Other memories may fade, but the ones that we made are eternal as a star, Now I'm part of who you are~"</p><p>Lionel shrugged. "I guess so," he replied. "You guys wanna keep this as a duet, or can me and the big guy join in? You know, just to give it a shot."</p><p>Atticus and Mo looked bashful from that.</p><p>"If you don't, that's cool..." Thor said bashfully.</p><p>"Hmm... Okay... I'm accepting of anybody, but could you guys do me a little favor?" Atticus spoke up.</p><p>"What's that?" Thor asked.</p><p>"If you guys have to kiss, don't make me watch," Atticus said. "Nothing personal, you can be in love with whoever you want, but I kinda don't wanna see that just yet. I might adjust later though."</p><p>"Hey, fine by me," Lionel shrugged. "Nuthin' sez you gotta look," He cleared his throat. "And I'll be there with you in the sound of your laughter... I'll be in the tears you cry, 'cuz the way you and I have touched one another... Doesn't end with goodbye~" he sang.</p><p>Some music swelled as the four walked about happily as they were in their own little world as they looked into each other's eyes.</p><p>"I will always be with you, like a guardian angel, constant and true~," The four sang to each other happily. "When you're lost in the night and you can't see the light, my love will see you through~"</p><p>"I will always be there~" Atticus and Thor smiled.</p><p>"You have me there~" Lionel and Mo smiled back.</p><p>"I will always be with you~" The four sang to each other as the song ended as it looked like they were all about to kiss.</p><p>Lionel then opened his eyes. "So... Double Date next week?" he asked.</p><p>"Hmm... I think we could work that out," Mo smiled. "I'm pretty much open anytime for anything."</p><p>"Awesome!" Lionel grinned, before glancing at Atticus. "Like I said, you can turn away if you like."</p><p>Atticus nodded as he turned away then, a bit bashfully, though he couldn't help how he felt, but he felt happy for the boys.</p><p>Lionel smiled up at Thor. "...You can start it off, if you like." he explained.</p><p>"Mm~..." Thor beamed from that before he seemed to pick Lionel up due to the size difference and held onto him as he gave him a kiss right on the lips.</p><p>As soon as it was over, Lionel gave a giddy chuckle as his face was now red. Thor beamed himself as he soon put Lionel back down on the floor.</p><p>"Congratulations." Atticus said without looking.</p><p>"Thanks." Thor replied.</p><p>"That goes double for me," replied Lionel. "Well... I can definitely see all that practice has paid off~"</p><p>"Uh, practice?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"You know, with his pillow." Lionel chuckled.</p><p>"Oh... Right." Cherry replied.</p><p>"It's good company." Thor blushed from kissing his pillow.</p><p>"This is really gonna be an interesting future for all of us." Atticus beamed.</p><p>"Aye," nodded Lionel. "And I can hardly wait to experience it first-hand!"</p><p>"Hmm... Now what do we do since Batman, Catwoman, and the others are taking an ego trip?" Cherry pondered.</p><p>"Guess we could pig out and watch cartoons?" Lionel suggested.</p><p>The others shrugged from that as they decided to do just that.</p><hr/><p>Thor stuck his tongue out as he flipped through the TV remote to look for something for them to watch on the big TV together.</p><p>"Alright, what've we got?" asked Patch as he joined his friends at the couch.</p><p>"Hmm... <em>Transformers</em>?" Thor asked.</p><p>"Maybe." Cherry shrugged.</p><p>"Hmm..." Thor paused again. "<em>The Justice Friends</em>?"</p><p>"Meh." Atticus shrugged then.</p><p>"Uh... Hmm... How 'bout... <em>Duck Dodgers</em>?" Thor tried.</p><p>"...Sure," Lionel replied. "Long as I'm with my big ol' Storm Cloud, I'm a-okay."</p><p>Thor blushed a bit bashfully from that as he put on Duck Dodgers for all of them.</p><p>"Alright, showtime!" Lionel exclaimed as he ate some of the sandwiches.</p><p>"Keep an ear out for the heroes though." Atticus advised.</p><p>"Meh," Cherry shrugged. "If they need us, they can come get us."</p><p>"Indeed they can," replied Lionel, snuggling up to Thor. "In the meantime... We have <em>earned</em> this."</p><p>"Yeah, Cher, just chillax a bit," Thor smiled. "Take a load off."</p><p>"Hm... Yeah... We got any kettle corn?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"Here you go." Atticus smiled as he brought out a fresh batch just for her.</p><p>"Thanks, bud." Cherry replied, taking the bowl as she ate it quite happily.</p><p>And so they ate and watched television... Until for some odd reason, a vortex opened above them and sucked them up into another world: one that would annoy and anger them soon enough.</p><p>"Hey! What the heck?!" They all yelped on the way out.</p><hr/><p>They soon came through the vortex, floating a bit in mid-air.</p><p>"What's going on?" Mo asked. "Is it magic?"</p><p>"Hmm... I live in The Other Realm, but this isn't like any magic I know." Thor replied.</p><p>"Looks like we're getting a side-story adventure for now." replied Lionel as they all landed on the ground.</p><hr/><p>"Oh, joy..." Cherry muttered.</p><p>"Anybody hurt?" Atticus asked.</p><p>The others assured him that they would be fine.</p><p>"All right, we might as well find out where we are," Atticus said before finding a billboard with black and white block letters. "<em>'Welcome to CN City'</em>?"</p><p>"CN City?" Lionel read, poofing himself and Thor into pinstripe suits and fedoras. "...Well, either way, maybe this should be a fun way to kill time."</p><p>"Are we gangsters?" Thor asked Lionel as he took a look at his new outfit.</p><p>"Maybe," replied Lionel. "I liked the look."</p><p>Thor shrugged a bit.</p><p>"Well, I do have to admit," Cherry told them. "You both look very handsome this way."</p><p>Thor beamed from that happily.</p><p>"Ah, shucks," Lionel grinned. "Now let's head on into town. Maybe there's a place to get chili dogs around this burg!"</p><p>They soon walked along a bit.</p><p>"Hey, kid," Cherry greeted a kid who looked like a monkey in a Boy Scout uniform. "Whatcha doin'?"</p><p>"Do you <em>really</em> wanna know?" The kid asked her.</p><p>"...Not really..." Cherry said, stepping back a bit.</p><p>"Then let me tell you!" The kid beamed as music began to play.</p><p>"Oh, boy..." Cherry mumbled.</p><p>"Aw, cripes, he's gonna sing," Lionel groused. "It was cute earlier, but now I feel mildly annoyed. Just give us the abridged version!"</p><p>"Whatcha talkin' about?" The kid asked before he sang anyway. "I-I-I-I-I-I'm takin' advantage of all of the things... This place has to offer, like robots and wings, If your house needs a plank or your car has a dank, You can find it at... Cartoon! If monsters need ice packs, or nerds want a beaker, if your guitar is broken or it's time for new squeaker, if you need a good book, or your pits are a stinker, you can find it at CARTOON!"</p><p>Cherry kicked him suddenly while in mid-song. "I hate monkeys."</p><p>"Grazie~" Lionel remarked, getting out a toothpick. "Now for the chili dogs!"</p><p>"Hopefully." Cherry replied.</p><p>"Did we not just eat?" Thor teased Lionel. "You got a stomach like a cow."</p><p>"Ooh, did somebody say my name?" A cow asked as she stood on two legs with a young rooster.</p><p>"Obviously... And I have a very strong metabolism," Lionel replied to Thor. "Ah. Well, do you two know where we could find a restaurant?"</p><p>"Ooh, goody!" The cow beamed. "We're about to meet Chicken's friends at Pop's Diner."</p><p>"I gotta babysit my stupid sister." The chicken added.</p><p>"That's not very nice to say about your sister." Mo scolded a bit.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, you sound just like the girls." The chicken rolled his eyes.</p><p>"Well, that's <em>so</em> fascinating," replied Lionel with a bit of a yawn. "Maybe you could show us the way there?"</p><p>"When the light turns white." Cow smiled simply.</p><p>The others looked over to see a red hand before it changed into a white walking figure so they could cross the street. Down at the local diner was a redheaded boy who looked like a stereotypical redneck with another boy who looked like an athlete. Eventually, the group arrived at Pop's Moon Palace diner.</p><p>"Okay, guys, remember: look professional." Lionel whispered as he put his hands in his suit pockets, tipped his fedora, and strolled in with an air of serious cool to him.</p><hr/><p>"Oh, great..." A boy with piercings and green hair said as he looked out the window. "Doris is coming over here."</p><p>"I wonder who Doris is?" Thor said to the others.</p><p>"I guess she's trouble or something based on how that kid is talking about her." Atticus shrugged.</p><p>"No, no, Doris is a guy," The boy said to them. "Or at least he claims to be most of the time. He's a doofus."</p><p>"What makes him a doofus?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"He tells us useless facts that nobody cares about." The boy stated simply.</p><p>"Well... Okay," Lionel shrugged as he struggled to climb onto the stool. "Dammit. Yo, Big Guy, couldja be a peach and help me up?"</p><p>"Huh? Oh, sure." Thor said as he picked up Lionel to help him up into his seat before they would sit down.</p><p>"There's a million of other things I could name, but I don't want to." The boy said about the one called Doris.</p><p>"Because you're lazy?" Atticus smirked a bit.</p><p>"Watch it, kid," The boy glared at him. "You don't wanna mess with me. You don't know what I can do, especially if you dare to meet Jo Elliot."</p><p>"Dunno who this Joe jerk is, but I couldn't care less," Lionel remarked. "Dude's got two first names? Big whoop."</p><p>"You really shouldn't talk like that about Jo," The boy said. "She has powers you can't match. They say she's part demon and part werewolf."</p><p>"Oh... Jo's a tomboy..." Mo realized. "I get that. I'm a tomboy too."</p><p>"You're a girl?" An athletic boy asked. "I can clearly see you're a dude. What's your name?"</p><p>"Mo." The tomboy replied.</p><p>"Yeah, so you're a dude," The athletic boy then said. "What girl would be named Moe?"</p><p>"It's short for Monique, jackass." Lionel retorted, snapping his fingers and turning the boy into a donkey.</p><p>The other people in the diner looked surprised from that.</p><p>"Thanks, Lionel," Mo said. "I had a feeling he'd be pretty aggravating."</p><p>"Yeah... He seemed like a real dumbo." Thor addd.</p><p>"No sweat," Lionel replied. "<strong>AND ANYONE ELSE WHO BUGS ME OR MY PALS IS GONNA GET SOMETHING WORSE!!</strong>" he told the other patrons.</p><p>"You're still gonna get it from Jo." The boy advised.</p><p>"Jo, Jo, Jo... If she has a problem, then why doesn't she just come here for herself?" Cherry rolled her eyes a bit.</p><p>"Somebody call <em>my</em> name?" A dark female voice replied as the others looked to see a girl who had long dark blonde hair, wearing sweats as she looked very angered about something which scared most of the boys in the diner.</p><p>"Oh, hello, you must be Jo," Thor smiled as he walked over to her, standing taller than her. "You look a little cranky... Skip breakfast this morning?"</p><p>"No, but I heard about a challenger, so it must be you." Jo glared at him.</p><p>"Eh, nope, dude, that would be <em>me</em>!" Lionel retorted. "I mean, I know my pal's a good-lookin' guy, but try to pull your eyes away from him, capisce?"</p><p>Thor chuckled bashfully from the compliments.</p><p>"You think you can talk to <em>me</em> like that?" Jo glared as her eyes flashed a fiery red. "You don't know what I can do."</p><p>"Why does everybody keep saying that?" Atticus muttered to himself. "It's getting old pretty fast."</p><p>"Like I said, don't know, don't care." replied Lionel with a yawn. "So you got shiny red eyes, big fat hairy deal. I can make mine blue! Or green! Or silver! Or yellow! Or orange!" Each time he named a color, his eyes changed to that color.</p><p>Cherry laughed a bit. "I'm sorry, I just didn't know you could do that."</p><p>"Jo, be nice, these people are new in town." A beautiful girl said to the jockette.</p><p>"Fine... For you, Babe... But you know I can't control my other side." Jo told her.</p><p>"I'm sorry about that, Jo gets upset a little easily." The girl told the others.</p><p>"So, you don't try to stop her from raging?" Mo asked.</p><p>"Well, no... I have a hard time speaking up sometimes..." The girl said softly. "I think it's because my father died when I was young, my mother abused my brother and me, and she had him taken away from me... It's hard sometimes."</p><p>"Well, that is rather sad, but you shouldn't let your friend here pretty much walk over other people just because she's scary." Atticus said, putting his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.</p><p>"HEY!" Jo glared, grabbing his hand. "You touchin' my girl?!"</p><p>"Jeez, Hard Head!" Lionel chuckled. "Go soak your freakin' head! He didn't mean nuthin' by it!"</p><p>"Yeah, why would I do that when I have my own girl?" Atticus added.</p><p>"I think you need anger management or something." Mo remarked.</p><p>"What?! Now you think that I'm as bad as Eva?!" Jo glared.</p><p>"They're dead." A boy said to the others.</p><p>"No, I think you got a hair-trigger temper." Lionel replied.</p><p>"What does <em>that</em> mean?" Jo glared a bit.</p><p>"You get angry for the littlest thing," Cherry replied. "And I thought Drell had issues."</p><p>"All right, let's go then, you and me." Jo glared.</p><p>"Jo, it's okay, just ignore them," The girl told the jockette. "I'm sure they didn't mean it."</p><p>"Hey, if you're hungry for humiliation, ol' Lionel is ready to satisfy your appetite," Lionel cracked his knuckles. "Maybe when it's done, my chili dogs will be ready."</p><p>"Hungry, huh? I love people who love to eat," The waiter/owner chuckled a bit as he gave menus to the group. "Order anything ya like."</p><p>"Is there anything on this menu that isn't swimming in gravy?" Cherry asked as she took a glance at the menu.</p><p>"Eh... Probably some possum pie?" Pops replied.</p><p>Mo looked sick from that name. "I'll just have a salad..." she then said.</p><p>"Yeah, and... 12 chili dogs each!" Lionel replied, putting some money down. "12 for me, and for my friend."</p><p>"Excellent choice," Pops smiled. "Oh, Jo's here and she looks cranky... I better open the meat locker to give her some fresh meat."</p><p>"Isn't that unhealthy?" Mo asked sickly.</p><p>"I can handle it," Jo scoffed before smirking. "I hope it's bloody. I love a bloody piece of meat."</p><p>Mo looked very sick to her stomach as that looked like it could make her throw up.</p><p>"Some people just can't match up to my awesomeness." Jo shrugged from that.</p><p>"Oh, Mo, I'm so sorry." Atticus tried to soothe his girlfriend.</p><p>"It's also unsanitary," remarked Thor. "Eating raw meat is dangerous, cuz it could be filled with parasites and stuff. That's why you cook it."</p><p>"Yeah, well, sometimes I don't have to cook it, Tubby." Jo retorted.</p><p>"Tubby?!" Thor asked, looking emotional like he could cry before he soon growled violently. "NOBODY CALLS ME TUBBY!" he then punched her right in her face which seemed to give her a black eye.</p><p>"Cheese and Crackers!" Cherry gasped from that.</p><p>"Way to go, Big Guy!" Lionel clapped. "You really showed that big ape what for!"</p><p>Thor was breathing vehemently, while still growling.</p><p>"Thor? Thor... It's okay, buddy, the big ugly gorilla is down," Lionel urged. "Look at me, buddy. Look at me! It's okay."</p><p>"You cannot do that to me." Jo glared at Thor.</p><p>"I just did," Thor glared back. "If you have a problem with it, can settle it now. I hear you're a werewolf demon, so fight me, Wolfie!" he then smirked a bit. "Oh, wait, I forgot. Werewolves can't change during the day 'cuz there's no full moon."</p><p>Jo soon tackled him, both of them crashing out the window and ended up brawling together on the streets.</p><p>"Oh, Jo, when will you learn?" The girl sighed about Jo's behavior.</p><p>"C'mon, big guy! Hit with the left! Go for the right!" Lionel shouted. "In fact... JUST KNOCK HER OUT!!"</p><p>"You know, you could be more assertive with your friend rather than just sit back and let her try to beat the shit out of somebody." Cherry told the girl.</p><p>"I'm sorry, but sometimes I don't know how to," The girl said as she looked like she was going to cry. "I'm shy after all. Also, I have no parents to help guide me in the confusing journey into adulthood."</p><p>"...That was confusing." replied Mo.</p><p>"Okay, time to put an end to this." Lionel replied. He walked outside, tapped Jo on the shoulder, then ran to the front and squeezed her nose before ducking under her and giving her an overhead wedgie.</p><p>Thor glared as he sat on the road as Jo let out a very pained sounding yell.</p><p>"You okay, Big Guy?" Atticus asked Thor.</p><p>"Yeah, I guess," Thor huffed. "This place looked so cool at first."</p><p>"Hey!" A voice called. "What's goin' on here?"</p><p>"Uh, sorry, sir, but this jerk was ruining mine and my friends' day." Cherry told a person who came by with short ginger hair, a red jacket, and blue jeans and red and white sneakers.</p><p>"First of all, I'm a girl, and second, Jo, what did you do now?" The person shook her head a bit at the jockette.</p><p>"Oh, you know, getting cheesed off about people accidentally touching her girlfriend, losing her temper, and getting in fights," Lionel remarked. "Business as usual, I'm guessing."</p><p>"Yeah..." The tomboy shook her head. "Sometimes it feels like she'll never learn, especially when I have to teach her about how to be a proper wolf. Also, no drooling around me, I get sick when the girls do that to me." she then told Cherry and Mo.</p><p>"Uh... Okay?" Cherry replied.</p><p>"Yeah, <em>why</em> would we do that?" Mo added.</p><p>"Because girls always go nuts about me like I'm a knight in shining armor." The tomboy replied.</p><p>"Well... We both have boyfriends." replied Mo.</p><p>"I guess I have two now." Cherry added, pointing to Lionel and Thor, who waved.</p><p>"Isn't that kinda prude?" The tomboy asked.</p><p>"I don't care what anyone thinks as long as my two lugs are happy." Cherry replied as she came between the two boys.</p><p>"I'm gonna make you pay for that!" Jo glared. "You don't know--"</p><p>"What you can do," Atticus rolled his eyes. "I GET IT ALREADY! You don't know what <em>we</em> can do, Miss Pouty!"</p><p>Lionel smirked. "Aye. What just happened was merely a sample of my true power." he replied.</p><p>"You didn't have to torture my girlfriend... Now I'm angry... Justin's not here, so I'm on my own..." The girl known as Justine glared before she turned into a Lava Person.</p><p>"Hmm... Reminds me of the Human Torch from the Fantastic Four." Atticus remarked.</p><p>"Yeah, well, now I'm gonna give you guys a shot of lava!" Justine glared as she shot lava at them for hurting Jo. "By the powers of my Ancient Hawaiian ancestors, I will punish you!"</p><p>Lionel cracked his knuckles and launched a freeze blast at the lava blast, turning it into a rock, which plopped harmlessly onto the ground.</p><p>"So now you do something..." Atticus glared.</p><hr/><p>Duncan and Eddy soon walked by.</p><p>"Careful, Atticus, you'll unleash your Sombra crystals if you get too angry." Cherry warned.</p><p>"Who's Sombra?" Eddy asked.</p><p>"An evil unicorn." Cherry replied.</p><p>Duncan and Eddy looked to each other from that before laughing out loud together, making fun of Atticus as he looked close to flipping out on them. Lionel just snapped his fingers, turning them into a rat and a bunny.</p><p>"You shouldn't have done that," Eddy glared. "I'm a fire-bender."</p><p>"I really don't care anymore." Cherry replied.</p><p>Eddy soon attempted to shoot flames in his bunny form while Duncan tried to earth-bend by moving the ground around. Mo slammed her hands on the ground as she shot out her vines to tie them up with. Lionel then used telekinesis to bang their heads into each other. Many others soon came out to attack.</p><p>"We're getting outnumbered," Thor said. "All right, guys, let's give 'em a shot of The Toon Force."</p><p>"Yeah!" The others agreed from that.</p><p>"Role Call!" Thor yelled out as he transformed himself. "Thunder Boy!"</p><p>"Saiya Man!" Atticus added as she did the same.</p><p>"Lady Gothika." Cherry said calmly.</p><p>"Nature Girl." Mo smirked as she blossomed into her superhero form.</p><p>"And, BAT-Mite!" Lionel exclaimed as he spun around and changed into his costume.</p><hr/><p>The group soon faced the people of this world who seemed to have various powers such as animal transformation, ice powers, fire powers, earth manipulation, some had ninja skills, two seemed to have the powers that could match The Incredible Hulk, of course some werewolf moves which seemed to involve some sort of shadow manipulation, and one of them seemed to have Superman's powers even though she was a teenage girl.</p><p>"Wow, those vines seem strong." Thunder Boy said to Nature Girl as the ones who had wolf powers seemed unable to cut through the vines.</p><p>"I had to use a <em>lot</em> of ki for that." Nature Girl replied.</p><p>"Makes sense why they're so durable." Bat-Mite remarked.</p><p>"I didn't think this place would have so many people with superpowers anyway." Saiya Man commented.</p><p>"Neither did I," replied Bat-Mite. "I don't think we expected them to be such jerks, either."</p><p>"What did we do wrong to these guys?" Justine cried. "We just wanted to be friends. I wish my dad were here, but he's dead."</p><p>"Oh, shut up!" Nature Girl scolded. "We know your family life is tragic, but if you keep that up, it's hard to feel any sympathy for ya!"</p><p>"Yeah, that's like saying you should stay friends with an abusive jerk because their dad got killed and she was taken away from her mother and had abusive and neglectful adoptive parents." Lady Gothika remarked.</p><p>"You know about that?" Jo spoke up as that hit close to home for her.</p><p>"Oh, my... How sad..." Lady Gothika said softly. "My best friend's parents were almost killed after he was born! You don't see HIM acting like a ruthless dictator!"</p><p>"YEAH!" Thunder Boy added. "You guys are just using your tragic pasts as an excuse for being jerks! Some heroes!"</p><p>"You could show a little bit of sympathy." Mike said.</p><p>"Well, maybe we would if you guys would've not been such jerks." Lady Gothika retorted.</p><p>"Yeah!" Thunder Boy added as he hit Jo again.</p><p>"You can't hit me; I'm a girl!" Jo glared from that.</p><p>"Funny that you claim to be a girl when you act like a dick!" Thunder Boy glared back.</p><p>Bat-Mite let off a bit of a purr. "Damn, dude... Never seen this side of you before, but I frickin' love it." he remarked.</p><p>"Guess I was holdin' back a little and had to let it out somehow~" Thunder Boy cooed as he scratched the bottom of Bat-Mite's chin like he was stroking a cat.</p><p>"Ugh, are you two gonna make out now?" Jo groaned a bit.</p><p>"So what if we <em>are</em>?" asked Bat-Mite. "How the fuck is it any of <em>your</em> business?"</p><p>"That's just kinda gross, I don't wanna see that." Jo glared.</p><p>Thunder Boy looked a little sad from that as he felt nervous enough about coming out like he had earlier.</p><p>Lady Gothika looked sad for him before narrowing her eyes and kicking Jo in the face from that. "Fucking hypocrite," she then said. "No one asked you to watch, though you're gay too. If you won't give us any sympathy, why should we do the same for you? Hmph... I hope somebody takes away your powers and you'll have to be left to defend yourselves some other way."</p><p>"I couldn't agree more, Cherry." A familiar voice said as everyone looked around to see where it had come from.</p><p>"Now... Who could <em>that</em> be?" Bat-Mite asked.</p><hr/><p>A random elevator appeared and Drell soon stepped out from it.</p><p>"I'd say it was a pleasure, but I have to talk to you, so..." Lady Gothika said to the warlock.</p><p>"Ah, save your smart remarks," Drell cut her off a bit. "I'm here for this group. Team Howling Wolves I believe they call themselves."</p><p>"Howling Wolves?" asked Bat-Mite as he hugged Thunder Boy. "Sounds like a high school football team..."</p><p>"Drell, you better not mess with me." Jo said.</p><p>"Uh-huh..." Drell replied without care.</p><p>"You know I'm a werewolf demon and I could even be stronger than you 'cuz Trigon's my uncle and I have werewolf powers 'cuz of Mazinsky here, and blah, blah, blah, rant, rant, rant, bitch, bitch, bitch, moan, #LesbianWerewolf..." Jo ranted before Drell cast a spell on the Howling Wolves. "Huh...? What happened?"</p><p>"As of now, you are all powerless and are normal people," Drell glared sharply before looking at the Toon Force. "I was never keen on this universe. They had a little friend that was a lot like you that they claimed to care about, but they did pretty terrible things to." he then said as he pointed at Lady Gothika.</p><p>"Then I guess this is their just desserts." remarked Saiyaman.</p><p>"Hey, we so did care about our friend before she moved away!" Jo glared.</p><p>"Oh, yeah?" Drell glared back. "Why did you threaten to eat her if she acted out? Why did you sneak her into a violent R-Rated movie without her parents knowing about it when she was a fragile 10-year-old girl? Why did you tell secrets to the person she was trying to hide from because of your stupidity? Why did you let your violent girlfriend beat her shitless while you just sat there like a spineless coward? I thought I was pretty brutal with my pal Skippy, but you're all a bunch of hypocritical jerks."</p><p>Saiya Man looked so disgusted with the teenagers of the group and to have a 10-year-old for a friend and what they would do to her.</p><p>"These bozos <em>deserve</em> to get their butts kicked!" Bat-Mite exclaimed.</p><p>"I thought you guys could help take care of 'em for me," Drell said to the Toon Force. "That's why I sent ya here. How do you feel?"</p><p>"I feel... Quite refreshed actually..." Lady Gothika replied. "I feel like a giant weight was just lifted off my shoulders."</p><p>"Can I say something?" Jo asked.</p><p>"I thought you felt like you were holding back some kinda stress." Drell told Lady Gothika.</p><p>"Can I say something?" Jo repeated firmly.</p><p>"Yeah... I feel great..." Lady Gothika smiled a bit to the warlock.</p><p>"I have something to say." Jo said, a bit nastily.</p><p>"<strong>NOBODY CARES!!!</strong>" Bat-Mite roared. "You mess with my Storm Cloud, you mess with <em>me</em>."</p><p>Jo growled a bit.</p><p>"Ugh... What is it, She-Male?" Drell rolled his eyes.</p><p>"About what we did... We just... We just... Hubba what?" Jo replied.</p><p>"Hubba what?" Everybody asked at once like it was some running gag.</p><p>"I don't get it." Saiya Man said to Lady Gothika.</p><p>"I'm not sure I do either." Lady Gothika replied.</p><p>"Yes, well, you have fun with that," Drell said. "Let's get you out of here, Toon Force."</p><p>"Great!" Bat-Mite replied. "I was getting sick of this trash hole."</p><p>And so, a vortex appeared to bring them back home. As the Howling Wolves sat in defeat, their bullies appeared and seemed to make fun of them. This would normally be sad, but in their case, it seemed well deserved, but then again, Your Mileage May Vary.</p><hr/><p>Back at the Hall of Justice, the group was back in their normal clothes.</p><p>"All right, I better leave ya to it." Drell said as he was about to leave.</p><p>"Erm... Uh... Um... Uncle Drell...?" Thor stammered. "I... I... I..."</p><p>"I-I-I don't have a lot of time, so make it quick, Shortstuff." Drell replied.</p><p>"Uh... I like... I like... Hot dogs!" Thor said before blurting that out as he cupped his mouth bashfully, unable to say it right then.</p><p>Lionel clutched his hand gently. "It's okay, buddy," he told him. "You have the words in your mind, so open up and say them."</p><p>Thor nodded with a small whimper. Drell checked his watch a bit impatiently.</p><p>"Uncle... I might've found love..." Thor said bashfully as he tapped his knuckles together. "How does that make you feel?"</p><p>"Oh! That's great news, buddy!" Drell smiled proudly. "You got your own flame burnin'! I know how that feels..." he then smiled bashfully. "I feel that way about Sabrina's aunt."</p><p>"Well, Zelda is very beautiful." Cherry said.</p><p>The others looked at her which made her look bashful.</p><p>"Oh... Right... Hilda too..." Cherry grinned sheepishly.</p><p>"Alright, so far, so good." noted Lionel.</p><p>"Listen, son, I really have to go," Drell told Thor. "Maybe we could talk about this later, okay?"</p><p>"Oh... Uh... Okay..." Thor said softly.</p><p>"I'll see you later, I promise," Drell smiled as he ruffled up his nephew's hair. "I'll come to your house for dinner on Sunday like I always do."</p><p>"Hmm..." Thor pouted at himself as his uncle then left the scene.</p><p>"Well... It's a start," replied Lionel. "At least he said he was happy for you."</p><p>Thor still pouted a bit as he slumped on the floor which made the room shake a bit.</p><p>"Uh, you okay, buddy?" Atticus asked.</p><p>"What if he disowns me?" Thor pouted.</p><p>"He won't disown you," Lionel told him. "He's better than that. If he does care about you... Then he'll still be happy for you."</p><p>"Ya really think so?" Thor asked.</p><p>"Sure he will... Sure he will..." Cherry said as she pet his hair a little.</p><p>"Yeah!" Lionel smiled.</p><p>"Hmm... I hope so..." Thor pouted a bit. "I'm just terrified that I'll come out and they'll throw me out."</p><p>"I'm still unsure about how I feel about all of this, but either way, you're my friend, so I'll support you." Attius promised.</p><p>"Thanks..." Thor replied as he hugged Atticus.</p><p>"No problem," Atticus replied. "Now no kissing me."</p><p>Thor smirked as he gave Atticus on the cheek just to mess with him.</p><p>"Augh!" Atticus cried out. "Dude!"</p><p>"Whoops." Thor smirked.</p><p>Everyone had a good chuckle at that.</p><p>Atticus wiped his cheek, but he laughed a little too. "Well, I hope Batman and the others are having good luck with... Uh... Whatever they were doing..." he said to them.</p><p>"Same," nodded Lionel. "Here's hoping they got what they were after."</p><p>They soon went back to their cartoons while the older heroes were hard at work. Cherry sat between Lionel and Thor so that they could both be next to her and they were both happy with that. Atticus and Mo sat together in their own space.</p><hr/><p>It seemed to be a while, so they all fell asleep in their seats.</p><p>"Well, we made some progress... Oh..." Superman said as he came to see the kids. He decided to just leave a note on the table explaining things so they could read it when they woke up.</p><p>"They okay?" Wonder Woman asked Superman.</p><p>"Yes, they should be fine," Superman replied. "I just wonder though... Will our little Saiya Man choose to stay with us or with his birth family?"</p><p>"I'm sure the answer will come to him in his heart, but no matter what happens, he's the closest thing we both have as a son." Wonder Woman nodded softly.</p><p>The both of them hugged in silence for a few minutes afterwards. They tucked in Atticus a bit and moved a pillow under him as he snuggled up to Mo a bit.</p><p>"Sleep well, Atticus." Superman said quietly as he and Wonder Woman exited the room.</p><p>Wonder Woman smiled a bit on the way out with Superman.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eventually, the group woke up from their little nap.</p><p>"Anyone else hungry?" Thor asked with a yawn.</p><p>"A little bit." Cherry replied.</p><p>"Sure, I could eat." Lionel replied as he cracked his neck.</p><p>"I always feel hungry after a nap." Thor said.</p><p>"Guess that makes you the girl of the relationship," Cherry smirked playfully. "Since you like to cook and clean."</p><p>Thor blushed at that, while Lionel patted him on the back. "...I guess~" he replied.</p><p>"Oh... I didn't offend you, did I?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"Nah," Thor replied softly. "You're lucky I like ya, otherwise you're gonna end up like those Howling Wolves."</p><p>"I wonder what happened with that girl they knew who was apparently 10-years-old?" Atticus remarked.</p><p>"She probably moved away," Mo guessed. "Can't say I'd blame her."</p><p>"Like us." Atticus smiled.</p><p>"Yeah!" The Toon Force beamed from that.</p><p>Atticus soon found a note and checked it out that was left from Superman and Wonder Woman.</p><p>"What's it say?" asked Patch.</p><p>"<strong><em>'Showing Star Boy and Jessica around, might have to request help later in the Watchtower'</em></strong>." Atticus read aloud.</p><p>"Well, alright then." Lionel replied.</p><p>"Should we go with them?" Thor asked.</p><p>"It might be a good idea," Atticus shrugged. "I mean, see what they're up to."</p><p>"It'd give us something to do, that's for sure." replied Lionel.</p><hr/><p>They soon came to explore out of the entertainment room a bit as they came into the Watchtower as the adult heroes were hard at work. Batman and Miss Martian seemed to watch Star Boy and Jessica as they explored a bit with Jessica in her new outfit which was that of The Green Lantern.</p><p>"I intercepted a transmission I can't identify." Mr. Terrific reported from the system.</p><p>Superman took a look with the readings. "The cyborg?" he then asked.</p><p>"That'd be my guess." Mr. Terrific told him.</p><p>"Whoof..." Lionel remarked.</p><p>"You're awake." Superman said to the kids.</p><p>"Yeah, cartoon marathon wore us out a bit." Thor smiled bashfully.</p><p>"But we're okay, and willing!" Lionel added.</p><p>"We're trying to find out more on what happened earlier today," Superman replied. "Jessica and that Star Boy are exploring a bit."</p><p>"And I can see that Star Boy is like a fanboy over this place." Atticus pointed out as Star Boy looked nostalgic.</p><p>"And that goes for the others." Lionel replied, talking about LJ, Zofia, Felicity, and Terry.</p><p>"Sure looks it." Atticus nodded to that.</p><p>"The Watchtower," Star Boy smiled as he took a look around with Jessica. "I have the playset for this. It's an antique. I keep it in my room at the clubhouse."</p><p>"What clubhouse?" Jessica asked as that puzzled her.</p><p>"I told you, I'm a superhero." Star Boy replied obviously.</p><p>LJ nodded. "In the future, we're part of a group called<em> The Legion of Superheroes</em>. We have our own clubhouse, so... Yeah." he explained.</p><p>"Sounds pretty cool." Atticus said as he came by.</p><p>"It can be sometimes, Uncle." Zofia replied.</p><p>"Heh... Uncle..." Atticus chuckled. "I like the sound of that."</p><p>"Yeah, same," replied Terry. "I mean, we've heard stories about the old Justice League, but meeting them in person... It's just... Wow."</p><p>"Well, it's good to meet you too." Thor smiled.</p><p>"If only it could be under better circumstances." Cherry muttered slightly.</p><p>"That's for sure," nodded LJ. "Sorry that those bad dudes came back to your time."</p><p>"Well, I guess it's not really your fault," Cherry replied. "Just maybe if you do this again in the future, don't let it happen again?"</p><p>"We shall try." Zofia promised.</p><p>"Next time, we're gonna stop the creeps before they get to the time machine." Terry promised.</p><p>"If there will <em>be</em> a next time." Felicity said.</p><p>"There will be," Zofia reassured. "I know that there will be one, Sister."</p><p>"Isn't there always?" LJ added. "Anyway, let's get on with the rest of the tour."</p><p>"We'll help you out," Cherry replied. "We've been here for a while. It's pretty much our home away from home."</p><p>"I wanna know about the future myself, but Cherry says that might cause a paradox." Atticus added.</p><p>"That, and learning about the future ruins the surprise of knowing what will come next," Lionel added. "Which could alter the future itself."</p><p>"We've seen enough of the future anyway." Batman told Cherry.</p><p>"Can we at least know how far into the future?" Cherry asked.</p><p>Batman whispered an answer to her.</p><p>"100 years?!" Cherry jumped back with a gasp.</p><p>"Yep, and you and the rest <em>still</em> look great after all that time!" LJ replied. "He's kidding, it's only at least 10 years from now."</p><p>"With five extra years." Terry added.</p><p>"Grr... You're not funny!" Cherry complained at Batman.</p><p>"It's not my job to be funny," Batman told her. "You think I'm from some goofy superhero TV Show from the 1960's or something?"</p><p>"Hmph." Cherry crossed her arms sharply.</p><p>"Not in <em>this</em> universe, at least." Lionel replied with a smirk.</p><p>"We just got a message from the Fatal Five." Mr. Terrific soon told the others.</p><p>"Finally, progress," remarked LJ. "What's it say?"</p><p>Mr. Terrific invited them over to see for themselves of what looked like a holographic message.</p><p>"Do not take this threat lightly," Mano warned as a holographic image of himself was shown. "Metropolis will be but the first of your cities to be flattened. Then the others, one by one, and in a synchronization of destruction you never dreamed possible. Or simply hand over the Lantern."</p><p>Jessica narrowed her eyes from that.</p><p>"We promise no harm will come to her," Mano's voice continued. "We only need her assistance. Decide quickly. The cost of hesitation is the blood of innocents."</p><p>"That's where the message ends," Mr. Terrific told the others as the hologram stopped. "There's no way to trace the signal."</p><p>"So what's our play?" Miss Martian spoke up.</p><p>"We don't negotiate with terrorists," Wonder Woman replied. "Even the 31st-century kind."</p><p>"Agreed." Batman stated sharply.</p><p>"Lousy bastards," LJ spat. "They're askin' for a futuristic ass-kickin'."</p><p>"Hey. I'm picking up that energy frequency I found earlier," Mr. Terrific spoke up as he typed away. "Multiple signals. My guess is they connect to Tharok. These are receiving transmissions."</p><p>They soon all took a look to see a tracking map with blinking red lights that looked very important.</p><p>"Wild guess: those are spots that those guys intend to attack." replied Lionel.</p><p>"But of course!" Thor proclaimed. "Let's move out, gang!"</p><hr/><p>And so, with great determination, the group quickly exited. Superman flew off quicker.</p><p>"Whoa! Wait up, Supes!" Saiya Man called out as he went after his adoptive father.</p><p>The rest of the Justice League (at least, who were on call) followed behind with the group. Stray bombs soon shot off as towers came crumbling down. A tower came down by a group of civilians who panicked as they went to run off from the tower before they would get crushed. Superman flew by to stop the tower from falling, though it seemed to be too much, even for him as Saiya Man and Wonder Woman flew by to give him some sort of assistance. Another bomb soon hit another tower which meant that that would fall as well if nobody stopped it.</p><p>"I've got this! Go!" Superman cried out as he would stay where he was.</p><p>Wonder Woman nodded and quickly flew off to deal with the other explosion. Saiya Man then flew beside Superman to help him out with the tower. Mr. Terrific soon dashed off as he and the others began to leave The Watchtower.</p><p>"I should do something." Jessica said.</p><p>"You're the one they're after," Batman replied as he looked at her and Star Boy firmly. "Stay here. Both of you."</p><p>"But I'm a superhero." Star Boy said.</p><p>Jessica gave him a look for that.</p><p>"I <em>am</em>..." Star Boy said softly from that. "You saw."</p><p>"If Batman tells you to do something, you better <strong>DAMN WELL DO IT!</strong>" Cherry told him sharply.</p><p>LJ shrugged. "When Mom gets like that, it's tough saying no," he replied. "...Personally, I think we're better off doing what she says."</p><p>"That's right, I'm your mother, so I say you stay here too or you're grounded." Cherry then said.</p><p>"Of course." Felicity said softly.</p><p>Cherry nodded sharply as she came to go with Batman as she took out her superhero costume. Lionel quickly changed into his costume so he could be prepared to assist the others. A plane was taking off down the runway, but as it got in the air, it was bombed and was about to crash downward. Luckily for everybody on board though, Mr. Terrific swooped in to help save them. The plane flew somewhat better and was gently set down on the runway without a crash.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, in the subway, several explosives went off when a train was approaching. The conductor tried to stop, but the train veered off the rails and fell on its side, almost hitting the people. Luckily, Miss Martian used her intangibility powers to protect the people from the train. But then, another train was fast approaching. Both the conductor aboard and the passenger on the tracks panicked. Miss Martian flew out to grab the subway as it sped down the tracks and they both skid together from the brute force. Luckily, the subway car began to stop just before it could collide with the other with Miss Martian leaning up against the speeding one. Miss Martian sighed in relief from this before she looked up to see another bomb going off, so she flew off to go to stop it.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, Jessica and the others watched from their spot as Star Boy came over. "...Are you alright?" he asked.</p><p>"No, nothing about this is alright," said Jessica. "And you'd understand that if you weren't even more messed up than I am!"</p><p>Star Boy looked down, feeling guilty.</p><p>"I'm sorry," said Jessica. "It's just that I dunno what to do. I know what I'd LIKE to do: get the hell out of here."</p><p>"...Scary guy should've let you help," replied Star Boy. "You're Limelight. You're the bravest."</p><p>"Just stop!" Jessica lashed out. "I'm not the bravest. Most days, I'm scared to put this ring on, scared to get out of bed."</p><p>"I felt that way too when I realized that I had to fight my siblings in secret." Felicity remarked.</p><p>LJ and Zofia looked soft from that.</p><p>"I apologize for the trouble I caused while working under my new mentor, but it had to be done," Felicity told them. "I promise that I would never try to hurt you on purpose or for my own selfish gain."</p><p>LJ and Zofia were about to hug her until Jessica suddenly yelled out with pain like a dog affected by the dreaded silent sound to humans that was a dog whistle.</p><p>"Whoa, what's going on?" asked Terry.</p><p>"I dunno!" replied LJ.</p><p>"Can you give me a minute?" Jessica asked.</p><p>"Uh, sure." Star Boy shrugged before he soon turned around to fly off.</p><p>Jessica looked over at Felicity, LJ, Zofia, and Terry.</p><p>"We wanna know what you're up to." Terry told Jessica as he refused to leave.</p><p>Jessica put up a hand to him as she turned around. "Tharok... What do you want?" she asked.</p><p>"You're a smart girl," replied the villain's voice. "You know we're not bluffing. How many more people need to die? You have the power to stop this. Follow the signal, and come alone."</p><p>The four looked to each other as Jessica had a job to do.</p><p>"I must go." Jessica told them all.</p><p>"We'll come with you." Felicity said.</p><p>"No," Jessica replied. "I have to do this myself."</p><p>"Tharok <em>did</em> say to come alone...." noted LJ. "...That, and Mom and Great-Uncle Bruce said we had to stay here."</p><p>"What if things go bad?" asked Terry. "You might need the backup."</p><p>"You do not make things easy, do you?" Jessica shook her head with a sigh from that.</p><p>"Not really, no," Terry replied. "So we're coming with you, whatever what that jerk wants, he's gonna get from us too."</p><p>"I guess we can follow from a distance, and using cloaking power," decided LJ. "That way, they won't know that we're accompanying you."</p><p>"I don't know about this..." Jessica replied.</p><p>"Just trust us," Felicity said. "It might be the smart thing to do, especially if you have to meet someone that's... Well... Shall I say, mysterious?"</p><p>"Or less-than-trustworthy," replied LJ. "Considering that we're from 30 years from now, we know how these jerks roll."</p><p>"I thought you said you were from 15 years from now." said Jessica.</p><p>"I realized that wouldn't really make sense, age-wise." LJ explained.</p><p>Jessica pulled a bit of a face from that.</p><p>"Time travel is complicated," Felicity said. "Bottom line: we're coming with you."</p><p>"Yep." Terry nodded.</p><p>Jessica sighed. "...Fine. Just keep out of sight." she replied.</p><p>The others nodded in response. Jessica dashed off and so the others followed behind in their own special way.</p><hr/><p>We are soon shown just outside of town into a creepy and dark forest. Jessica narrowed her eyes bravely as she walked into the woods to meet up with who she was supposed to. Shortly after she entered, she met up with Tharok, Persuader, and Mano.</p><p>"I'm here." said Jessica.</p><p>"That was quick," remarked Tharok. "Maybe I should be called 'The Persuader'."</p><p>"You've made a brave choice, girl." said Mano.</p><p>"Yeah... Real brave. I just surrendered." said Jessica sarcastically.</p><p>"You bought life for your city; you care about your people." continued Mano. "Like I care about mine."</p><p>"...Whaddyou want?" asked Jessica.</p><p>"We're going on a little road trip," explained Mano. "See some old friends."</p><p>"And if I don't go along...?" asked Jessica.</p><p>Tharok put out his robot hand in the shape of a finger gun, and mimicked a "p-chuu" noise. As if to punctuate his statement, an explosive went off in that exact spot.</p><p>"No, wait!" Jessica protested. "I'll take you wherever you want."</p><p>The villains approved of her decision while the four hid away while listening in.</p><p>"Should we interfere?" Zofia asked the others.</p><p>"Not yet," replied LJ. "At most, we should tag along while staying shrouded. That way we don't spoil the surprise too early."</p><p>"Come over here, I'll take care of that." Felicity offered as she took out what looked like a black ball into the palm of her hand.</p><p>LJ, Zofia, and Terry each approached, looking quite curious. Felicity soon waved her arms a certain way which began to make the ball glow briefly before it shot them all with a blast that made them like shadows in order to blend in so the bad guys wouldn't see them sneaking along since Jessica was asked to come alone. And so, now in Shadow Mode, the group followed behind Jessica as she went off with the villainous trio. Felicity just reminded them all to keep quiet so they wouldn't get found out. Jessica used her Green Lantern ring to beam them all up into a green ball as they entered the deep and dark vacuums of space and soon stopped in front of a ringed planet.</p><p>"Oa." Jessica told them.</p><p>"Of Course," Tharok replied. "Who else but the fabled Green Lantern Corps could hope to hold the two mightiest beings in the galaxy?"</p><p>"It won't work," Jessica retorted. "They'll stop you."</p><p>"I hope they try," Persuader challenged. "They're nothing but a legend in our time. Perhaps I'm the one who ended them."</p><p>"Sadly, you will not have that chance," Tharok told him. "Most of the Green Fascist Corps are currently fighting some obscure war on Rann. Their interplanetary Gulag is currently... Understaffed."</p><p>"It doesn't matter," replied Jessica. "The scion cells are impenetrable. There's no way to--" she stopped, before looking down at her ring. "...I'm the key..."</p><p>"Green Lantern Jesssica Cruz of Sector 2814, this is an unscheduled approach." said a robotic voice in a British accent.</p><p>Persuader pointed to his head.</p><p>Jessica looked confused, but went along. "I have prisoners bound for the scion cells. All good, situation green." she said.</p><p>"Please proceed to the detention compound." said the voice.</p><p>A door soon seemed to open from the planet's surface which would be their gained access inside. Felicity controlled her own Dark Ball to lead them in after the four ahead of them. After they both passed, they soon came into a whole new world.</p><hr/><p>Finally, Jessica's bubble dispersed as they came down, though Tharok took position just in case he was needed later. Jessica went down into the holding cells with Mano and Persuader, followed discreetly by the others. Felicity and the others decided to follow after Jessica, Mano, and Persuader. The three came down into the center of where a glowing, golden sphere was as the shadowed others also followed, but of course, secretly.</p><p>"Say it just as I told you." Mano instructed Jessica.</p><p>"Sarya: Empress of Venegar. Validus." Jessica spoke to the sphere calmly.</p><p>The sphere glowed bright, and showed the two prison cells by having them each glow green. The three flew up to the first cell.</p><p>"Open it." ordered Mano.</p><p>Jessica glanced down at her Lantern Ring, then lifted it to the lock. In a crackle of green light, the cell doors gradually opened.</p><p>"We gotta do something." Zofia whispered to the others in concern.</p><p>"Yeah, you're right," replied LJ. "This is looking seriously bad."</p><p>"I'd hate to meddle, but this is why we came," Felicity replied. "I'll get us out of this."</p><p>Zofia hugged her sister happily from that news. A bright green light shot out as the doors soon opened up from Jessica using the ring to gain access into. The group looked on as the doors gradually opened.</p><p>"And now for my Empress." Mano said as he soon flew off with Jessica.</p><p>The others flew after them in secret to see where this would go. They flew up to another cell, and Jessica put her ring into the lock hole, opening the door.</p><p>"Child's play." remarked Mano.</p><p>"Wanna play?!" asked a deep masculine voice. "Play with <em>this</em>!"</p><hr/><p>It was the Green Lantern Kilowog, and he charged at Mano, his construct in the form of a massive sledgehammer, which smacked him to the ground.</p><p>"Situation green: Lantern under Duress. Glad ya did your homework, kid," Kilowog smiled at Jessica. "You alright?"</p><p>"I'm not that you're--" Jessica began only for the Persuader's ax to slice through a green shield.</p><p>"I don't know what all we can do, but let's get going." Felicity told the others as she used another form of dark magic.</p><p>"What's this?" Terry asked.</p><p>"This will help make all of you fly like Uncle Atticus." Felicity replied before she soon demonstrated with a back-flip in the air.</p><p>"What?! I told you guys to stay back!" Jessica glared slightly.</p><p>"Funny thing about us," replied Quad Star. "We're not too good at takin' orders!"</p><p>"Especially me," Terry chuckled as he put on his Batman mask. "Let's take out the trash."</p><p>Jessica growled a bit, though she had bigger problems to worry about right now.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Green Lantern Kilowog soon began to fight against Persuader while Jessica moved herself out of the way of their crossfire. Mano lunged at Energex, but Quad Star caught his wrist before he could grab her.</p><p>"Ah-ah-ah!" The young hero chided. "Always keep your hands to yourself!"</p><p>"Didn't your mother teach you better?" Energex smirked from that.</p><p>Mano struggled to get free until Quad Star threw him like a rag doll into the wall. Felicity chuckled a bit darkly as her eyes glowed red.</p><p>"What is with you?" Mano asked Felicity.</p><p>"What's wrong?" Felicity grinned darkly as dark shadows loomed over her. "You're not afraid of the <em>dark</em>, are you?!"</p><p>Mano seemed to gasp in horror as the shadows engulfed him. Felicity laughed a bit darkly as Mano was engulfed by the shadows.</p><p>"Yeesh! That's a little creepy." Energex remarked.</p><p>"It ups the intimidation factor," replied Batman Beyond. "So it gets the job done."</p><p>Jessica tried to grab onto a door, but struggled with it a bit. "Come on. Re-lock. Re-lock!"</p><p>Mano got free as he tried to go after her only to get shot down by another green blast.</p><p>"Stand down!" The being glared sharply. "You are under arrest by the Green Lantern Corps for abetting an escape attempt by--" That guy soon had some company of his own, much to his dismay. "Fart nuggets."</p><p>"I'm a little confused though," Felicity remarked. "I thought there was only ever one La lanterne Verte?"</p><p>"Actually, there's an entire organization," Quad Star explained. "It's just that Jessica is the most recent recruit."</p><p>"Well, I learned something new," Felicity shrugged with a small smirk. "Enjoy the darkness though, foes."</p><p>Mano tried to feel around to make a way out, but he was trapped in a seemingly endless void.</p><p>"I'm glad we're at least on the same side now." Energex said to her sister.</p><p>"We always were," Felicity gave a small wink. "Black Silver just had a funny way of showing it."</p><p>"Funny... If that's what you wanna call it, sure." remarked Quad Star.</p><p>"Hey, you know I wouldn't ever hurt you guys." Black Silver reassured.</p><p>"Yeah, <em>after</em> we found out." Her brother replied.</p><p>"Get this thing off me!" Mano complained.</p><p>"Sorry, I don't take requests." Black Silver replied as she took out another dark ball to hit him with. Just then, she was grabbed around her neck by the guy with the visible brain as the cell door opened.</p><hr/><p>Inside was what looked like a metallic coffin, and inside was the visible face of a human female. Well, humanoid, in this case. She then opened her eyes a bit dramatically. This did not look good so far as Persuader fought his foe while Green Lantern Kilowog did the same.</p><p>"Get back in there, you ugly poozer!" Kilowog glared as he fired bullets firmly.</p><p>Just then, a ray of green energy pierced him through the chest, and he went down. It was the Emerald Empress, with her evil floating eyeball. Trust me, it's more intimidating than it sounds.</p><p>"Kilowog!" Jessica cried out for him.</p><p>The two Green Lanterns were soon shoved against each other, about to fall. Luckily, Jessica was able to cushion their fall before they would hit the floor which would most likely kill them. Kilowog groaned as he had a deep wound as Jessica flew down to check on the guys as this looked pretty bad.</p><p>"Guys?" asked Quad Star. "I don't think Kilowog is gonna make it... And we might just be in the motherload of all trouble."</p><p>"Poor Kilowog." Energex pouted.</p><p>"Yes, poor Kilowog." Batman Beyond added.</p><p>"Yeah... Him and the rest of the universe!" Quad Star exclaimed. "We gotta scram!"</p><p>"Come on then." Batman Beyond said as he took charge.</p><p>They soon went to leave, though someone seemed to be missing.</p><p>"Wait... Where's Jessica?" Energex asked.</p><p>Black Silver looked around before groaning. "Argh! Those fiends got her!" she then complained.</p><hr/><p>They came back for Jessica only to see her cleaning house with the villains for the killing of Kilowog. That was, until Persuader used his ax to cut down against her ring to stop her winning streak. This sent Jessica flying back from a green blast and she hit the wall, making her hit the floor as that looked quite painful. Jessica groaned as her Green Lantern uniform vanished.</p><p>"So much for the legendary Jessica Cruz..." smirked the Emerald Empress.</p><p>"We have to get her out of here, pronto!" Quad Star exclaimed.</p><p>"Hmm... Let me see..." Black Silver paused as she tried to see what she could do to help. "Maybe I can help solve this somehow."</p><p>Just as Emerald Empress was about to leave, she turned back and blasted the roof, causing pieces of it to fall on our heroes. Quad Star turned rubbery and stretched himself over the group to protect them from the falling debris.</p><p>"Way to go!" Energex approved.</p><p>"Now to save Jessica." Felicity said as she summoned dark shroud to collect the fallen girl.</p><p>Quad Star grunted visibly as his body seemed to buckle under the weight of the debris. "Good on ya, Felicity. Because personally, I doubt I can hold up this stuff any longer before I collapse." he replied.</p><p>"All right, this way then!" Black Silver replied as she grasped him with the dark sphere to make them all get out in time so that Quad Star could rest and so that they could all leave in one piece.</p><p>They soon made it out, but a bit too late, as Emerald Empress had used her floating eyeball to absorb the power of the Lantern Corps' central battery, and there were several Green Lantern corpses strewn about the area.</p><p>"Guess those creeps scrammed on back to Earth..." Batman Beyond remarked.</p><p>"Yeah, but not without leaving behind plenty of reminders of their visit." added Energex as Quad Star readjusted his bones.</p><p>"Poor Green Lanterns..." Black Silver sighed as she did a respectful gesture. "I'm not giving up that easily."</p><p>"I love that spirit." Batman Beyond approved from her motivation.</p><p>"Same..." Quad Star replied as he finished returning to his normal shape. "Guess that's why you were such a tough opponent all those times we fought."</p><p>"I did what I had to do," Black Silver reassured. "I'm glad you're alright though."</p><p>Quad Star nodded. "As am I... Though we'll have to deal with that after we return to the future." he replied.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Meanwhile, back on Earth...</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>Mr. Terrific's T-spheres had taken all of the remaining explosives into space. "Well, that's the last of the bombs," he noted. On that note, Superman used his laser eyes to detonate them harmlessly.</p><p>"And that ends <em>that</em>." noted Bat-Mite.</p><p>Superman and Saiya Man both nodded to that.</p><p>"Not quite," Batman replied. "We have a problem."</p><p>"I bet it was those kids." Lady Gothika added.</p><p>"Now, now, let's just try to stay positive." Saiya Man told her.</p><p>Back at the Hall of Justice, the group decided to question Star Boy.</p><p>"I'm tellin' you, they're gone!" The future young hero exclaimed. "I don't know where they went; the whole building was empty!!"</p><p>Bat-Mite found a note in the meantime. "<strong><em>'Dear Mom and Dad, we went to help Jessica'</em></strong>," he read. "<strong><em>'Please don't be mad, we only did this because we knew she would need our help, and you guys were already tied up with the situation down here'</em></strong>."</p><p>"At least we have some sort of lead." Lady Gothika remarked.</p><p>"They said they would stay..." Saiya Man complained.</p><p>"Yeah, well, they're kids," Lady Gothika told him. "Kids say a lot of shit."</p><p>"Besides, they couldn't just stand around and wait while their friend was in danger!" Bat-Mite retorted. "I guess they <em>do</em> take after us in that regard..."</p><p>"They have Jessica, so what will they do now?" Thunder Boy asked.</p><p>"Their time machine," Batman remarked before asking, "Where is it?"</p><p>"Someplace safe." Mr. Terrific replied as he crossed his arms.</p><p>"And I'll help you all out!" Thunder Boy called out. "Nothing will stand in my way! I won't get distracted! I'll stay here all night if I have to! I--"</p><p>A magical beeping sound was then heard. Thunder Boy took out his phone to see a text from his mother.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>"Time to come home for dinner and stop playing with your friends."</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>"I gotta go." Thunder Boy smiled bashfully.</p><p>Bat-Mite sighed, then gave him a hug. "Alright, go ahead and take off. We'll handle our thing here, and then help with your thing afterwards," he replied. "Catch ya later, Storm Cloud."</p><p>"See ya... Uh... Um... I don't have a special name for ya yet, but maybe I'll come up with that later." Thunder Boy said as he had to leave now.</p><p>"Give it time," Bat-Mite replied as he kissed him on the cheek. "It'll come to ya."</p><p>"Heheh... Yeah... I'll see ya guys tomorrow." Thunder Boy chuckled as he waved and decided to get back home.</p><p>The group waved as he vanished.</p><p>"Alright, since that's done with, now we can get back to the main situation at hand." replied Patch.</p><p>"All right... Where were we?" Saiya Man asked.</p><p>"Time machine." Lady Gothika prompted.</p><p>"Ah, right." Saiya Man then nodded.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>
    <em>SHORTLY AFTER EXPLANATIONS ARE MADE...</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>The JLA and their allies were now inside a jet heading to the location of the time machine.</p><p>Mr. Terrific pushed a button on the main panel a few times, but nothing happened. "No one's responding to our call," he said. "I don't like it."</p><p>Suddenly, Persuader's axe ripped straight through the hull and cockpit.</p><p>"AND I LIKE THAT EVEN <em>LESS</em>!" Bat-Mite shrieked as the plane began to go out of control, veering towards the ground.</p><p>"Mayday! Mayday!" Lady Gothika cried out.</p><p>Persuader continued to hack against the jet which had Mr. Terrific, Lady Gothika, Bat-Mite, and Batman falling through the air.</p><p>"Laser eyes?" Saiya Man asked his adoptive father.</p><p>"Of course." Superman replied.</p><p>Both soon shot laser eyes at Persuader while the others tumbled through the sky. Validus (the guy with the visible brain) flew up and blasted Superman, knocking him back and causing him to drop the plane. Luckily, Superman recovered and flew back to fight Validus.</p><p>Saiya Man soon flew out to help out Superman. "You're ours, Super Brain!" he then glared mockingly.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, the plane was still falling out of the sky.</p><p>Bat-Mite shrugged. "Guess we can't rely on Atticus for <em>everything</em>!" he remarked as he snapped his fingers and turned the ground below them into a large marshmallow, cushioning their fall. "Geez, it's like he forgot that we were<strong> FALLING OUT OF THE STUPID SKY!</strong>"</p><p>Lady Gothika shook a bit as her face looked deathly pale.</p><p>"Ooh, the <em>nerve</em> of that guy!" Bat-Mite fumed. "I am going to have a serious talk with him after we're done here!!"</p><p>In the sky above them, Wonder Woman and Persuader were battling, as Black Sliver and the others returned to Earth with Jessica in tow. Star Boy seemed to be knocked out from the fall.</p><p>"Aw, buddy..." Bat-Mite sighed at him.</p><p>"Ugh... What happened?" Star Boy asked.</p><p>"Don't worry about it." Lady Gothika replied once she calmed herself down.</p><p>Batman came to a door with no way in before facing Mr. Terrific and Miss Martian. "Get us inside." he then commanded.</p><p>Miss Martian began to do her job.</p><p>"Ooh... Don't let them see us..." Energex gasped as she looked worried about getting in trouble.</p><p>"Alright, alright..." Black Sliver sighed as she lowered them to the ground.</p><p>"Phew..." Energex sighed in relief from that.</p><p>Batman looked over before shrugging as Miss Martian allowed them to come inside with her.</p><p>"We're open for business." Miss Martian smiled at the two men only to get shot down by a blast right behind her.</p><p>It was Tharok. Mr. Terrific used his T-spheres to distract him so Batman could rush him, thus allowing Mr. Terrific to deliver a knock-out uppercut.</p><p>"I got this one." he told Batman, who went ahead.</p><p>The future group peeked out a bit from what was happening without them. Finally, Batman came face-to-face with Mano.</p><p>"The Dark Knight...." The villain smirked. "I think I'll disintegrate you slowly."</p><p>Batman glared. "Bring it, Skeletor." he remarked.</p><p>Quad Star snorted at that. And so, Mano and Batman came to square off.</p><p>"We probably shouldn't interfere unless we absolutely need to." Black Silver told the others.</p><p>"Good idea," replied Energex. "Although I didn't know Batman knew what He-Man was."</p><p>"We <em>could</em> recap what happened before we got back..." Quad Star suggested as the screen began to ripple.</p><hr/><p>In the Lantern Corps holding cells, Black Sliver helped dig Jessica out of the rubble.</p><p>Jessica woke up, and saw Kilowog's body nearby. "KILOWOG!" she exclaimed. "Call the others... Do something!"</p><p>"Sorry, but I doubt he's getting up," replied Batman Beyond. "Especially with that huge hole in his chest..."</p><p>"You should come with us," Black Silver told Jessica. "We'll help you out of this scrape."</p><p>Jessica grunted. "In brightest day... In blackest night... No evil shall escape my sight..." she recited. As she spoke, the broken pieces of her Power Ring began to put themselves back together. "Let those who worship evil's might... Beware my power... <strong>GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT!</strong>" she finished as her ring put itself back on and reactivated her uniform.</p><p>Black Silver held out her hand.</p><p>"Just let me do what I must do first." Jessica said to her.</p><p>"Hmm... Very well..." Black Silver allowed.</p><p>"Thank you..." Jessica said as she came to take care of the other Green Lanterns with her power.</p><p>Black Silver and the others soon joined her to the outside as she set the two down after removing them from where they ended up.</p><p>"Take... Take me home..." Jessica said wearily before she soon passed out into Black Silver's arms.</p><p>"We shall," Quad Star said quietly, before glancing at the fallen Lanterns. "And we shall always remember your great sacrifices."</p><p>Black Silver soon came to help reach out to Jessica to help take her to safety.</p><p>"You're almost like a Green Lantern yourself with your powers." Energex said to her older sister.</p><p>"I do what I can," Black Silver replied. "I've had a pretty good teacher."</p><p>"Yeah, we're probably gonna need to meet your 'teacher' so we can hash out the fact we're all on the same side," Quad Star replied. "Besides, I prefer working <em>with</em> you to working against you."</p><p>"I feel the same way." Black Silver smiled softly from that.</p><hr/><p>And so they headed back to Earth.</p><p>"And that's pretty much how we got back," Energex replied, ending the flashback as Batman defeated Mano.</p><p>The other Justice League members arrived in the room, and Star Boy looked down at Mano. "Wow... You are <em>scary</em>." he told Batman.</p><p>Batman Beyond shrugged. "That's my dear ol' dad for ya." he remarked.</p><p>"I still think Mother can be pretty scary when she wants to be though." Black Silver muttered to her siblings a bit.</p><p>Quad Star paled visibly. "Funny you should say that... Considerin' she and Dad-1are right behind us." he stated.</p><p>"Oh..." Black Silver said.</p><p>Lady Gothika raised an eyebrow at them.</p><p>"Hello... You look well..." Black Silver grinned sheepishly.</p><p>"<em>PLEASE</em> DON'T BE MAD, MOM AND DAD!!" Quad Star begged. "Like the letter said, our pal needed our help! We couldn't just leave her in the lurch!"</p><p>"Kids these days..." Lady Gothika sighed a bit. "I can't be fully mad though since you were helping a friend in need."</p><p>"No, you can't," Energex added. "We understand though if you are mad."</p><p>"Hmm... Well... I'm not," Lady Gothika said. "I just hope you don't do this often in the future of doing the opposite of what we say. What is this, <em>The Cat in the Hat</em>?"</p><p>"Don't punish us by making us watch that movie again." Energex begged.</p><p>"Oh... Heh..." Lady Gothika chuckled. "I wasn't aware of a movie."</p><p>"It exists," replied Quad Star. "And it. Is. NOT. GOOD!"</p><p>"All right, I won't punish you for this, I'm just a bit steamed you didn't listen to me." Lady Gothika stated.</p><p>"Aw, they did it for a good reason," replied Bat-Mite. "Besides...not like we haven't done the same before."</p><p>Quad Star nodded. "Mm-hmm; Dad-2 likes tellin' stories about that." he added.</p><p>"Dad-1? Dad-2?" Lady Gothika asked. "What the...?"</p><p>"We'll explain later." Energex replied mysteriously.</p><p>Quad Star rolled his eyes. "I meant Dad and Uncle Thor!" he replied.</p><p>"Okay, I need to sit down..." Lady Gothika groaned a bit as she held her head.</p><p>"Trust me, time travel does that." Batman Beyond said to her.</p><p>"By the way, thanks for ditching us to tangle with Brain Boy!" Bat-Mite told Saiya Man. "It's not like we were plummeting to our deaths in a destroyed jet. Oh, wait... <strong>YES, WE WERE!!</strong>"</p><p>Saiya Man just listened to him with narrowed eyes as he got scolded.</p><p>"What were you thinking?" Bat-Mite raged. "We're all lucky to be alive!"</p><p>Saiya Man let out an agitated sigh as he listened to the angry lecture.</p><p>"You <strong>DITCHED US!!</strong>" Bat-Mite exclaimed, angrily fuming.</p><p>Saiya Man walked away from him as he didn't say anything now.</p><p>"What?" Bat-Mite glared. "You too good to talk to me?"</p><p>Saiya Man just kept on walking as he kicked a rock down his path.</p><p>"Fine! Go ahead and ditch us!" Bat-Mite snapped. "You're getting <em>great</em> at <em>that</em> now!!"</p><p>"Don't you think I have enough on my mind already?" Saiya Man glared. "It's not like you have to decide between two families of who you wanna live with now for the rest of your life after you thought your parents were dead and now they want you to come home with them... Oh, wait, that's right... You don't even <em>have</em> parents!"</p><p>Everyone gasped at that and the field went silent.</p><p>"Oh-ho, drama!" remarked Tharok. "Shouldn't have gone there!"</p><p>"Shuddap!" Saiya Man snapped which was a bit scary to see from him of all people.</p><p>"So... That's how it is, eh?" Bat-Mite asked, trying to stifle his angry tears. "Then FINE! BE LIKE THAT! <strong>ARRIVEDERCI!!</strong>" And in an explosion of energy, he vanished.</p><p>"You started it, you jerk." Saiya Man grumbled to himself.</p><p>"Hoo boy..." sighed Quad Star. "That's not good."</p><p>"Should we do something?" Batman Beyond asked.</p><p>"Probably not yet," Black Silver replied. "We'll help them with the Fatal 5 and let things cool down as much as they can."</p><p>"Hopefully so," replied Quad Star. "Otherwise we'll never be born... Or something."</p><p>"Paradox..." Energex gulped. "Let's just hope the Fatal 5 can still be stopped."</p><p>"Then you'll have to stop them without me," Saiya Man said as he decided to leave. "Now I wish I never found my parents."</p><p>"Dude, you realize they plan to blow up the sun, right?" asked Star Boy. "I dunno if you have a plan for that, but it might affect you too. Look, I know you're going through some difficult stuff right now, but I doubt any of it will matter when we all freeze to death."</p><p>"I just mess everything up anyway..." Saiya Man said. "You don't need me around... I could've saved you all, but I just had to help Superman instead... I tried to tell him and Wonder Woman what happened to me, but they were busy saving the day... Something's wrong with me lately. I gotta go."</p><p>"Well... Okay," Star Boy replied. "Hopefully you can get your affairs in order. Also... You might wanna get jackets. <em>Really</em> heavy jackets."</p><p>Saiya Man didn't say anything.</p><p>"Aw, buddy..." Lady Gothika sighed.</p><p>"He should let that dark side flow through..." Tharok remarked. "It seems to work better for him."</p><p>Emerald Empress shrugged as she came into the room with her eyeball and the time bubble. "It won't matter <em>what</em> he does," she remarked. "Once our plan is complete, he'll perish with the rest of these so-called heroes."</p><p>"Not so long as I'm around!" Lady Gothika glared bravely.</p><p>"Oh... How cute..." Emerald Empress chuckled. "Your friends are splitting apart and there's not much that you can do. Face it, we've won."</p><p>"So you think!" Lady Gothika glared. "Little do you know, I have a special plan!"</p><p>"Oh? And what would <em>that</em> be?" asked Emerald Empress smugly.</p><p>"You don't know it yet, but when it strikes, it'll blow your brains out like THAT guy!" Lady Gothika replied.</p><p>Nature Girl sighed. "She has no plan, does she?" she asked the others.</p><p>"From what it sounds like?" replied Quad Star. "No. We need to find Dad and Uncle Atticus and get them to stop being mad at each other before we <em>all</em> get wiped from existence."</p><p>"Why would you talk like that?!" Nature Girl asked Lady Gothika.</p><p>"To buy us some time so we can get those two make up and get a new plan!" Lady Gothika replied. "As long as they don't know about that, we should be fine."</p><p>"Well, they seem pretty distracted with the other heroes, so we can at least get to tracking their energies and getting them to be friends again!" Nature Girl replied.</p><p>"That's what I'm talking about!" Lady Gothika told her. "The sooner, the better, then we can leave and hopefully never see his Freakish 5 ever again."</p><p>"Great timing," noted Energex as the heroes fought the Fatal 5. "Now we should split up into two groups. One goes after Uncle Atticus, the other goes after Father."</p><p>"Gosh... I sure am torn now." Lady Gothika said.</p><p>"Well, I'm going with, erm, your Uncle Atticus." Nature Girl offered.</p><p>"I'll go with Bat-Mite." Batman Beyond replied.</p><p>"I'll go find Uncle." Quad Star replied.</p><p>"Hopefully they'll both be okay," Nature Girl said. "It's always sad to see friends fight."</p><p>"I just hope we have enough time otherwise I just bit off waaaay more than I can chew." Lady Gothika replied.</p><p>"Wouldn't be the first time." Nature Girl chuckled as she activated the energy tracking device.</p><p>"Hm..." Lady Gothika muttered with slight embarrassment.</p><p>Everybody split up to buy some time to settle things with Saiyaman and Bat-Mite.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Atticus was in his civilian form as he stumbled down the streets and looked up to a bar and decided to sneak inside and as he came in, he saw his so-called friends he had made during the Throne of Atlantis story.</p><p>"Well, well, if it ain't Mr. Goody Two-Boots!" said one kid. "What, your super-friends not here to back ya up no more?"</p><p>"Hey, guys... Uh... I thought we could hang out..." Atticus smirked as he tried to look confident. "Uh, Rex... Bone... Spike."</p><p>"Heheh," Spike chuckled as he played pool with the others. "That's a funny story, especially when your emo girlfriend got us busted the last time we hung out."</p><p>"She is not emo or my girlfriend," Atticus grumbled before speaking up. "Um... Who needs her? ...Say, where <em>is</em> everybody?" he then asked as it seemed to be just the four of them.</p><p>"Out," Rex replied as he took out a cigarette. "The town's gone to Hell lately."</p><p>"You don't say?" asked Atticus.</p><p>"Yep," replied Spike. "Since those bad guys showed up, everyone is out cowering in their homes or out looting places. Total madness."</p><p>"So, uh, you guys decided to come out even though you might get killed?" Atticus asked.</p><p>"Is that the sound of someone chickening out already? Buck, buck, buck!" Bone laughed as he clucked tauntingly.</p><p>"...No," Atticus narrowed his eyes as he came to the pool table. "Roll me out, uh, bitch."</p><p>The three laughed from that as they decided to let him play with them.</p><p>"Awright, so you're <em>not</em> a huge goody-goody," Spike shrugged. "Let's see what you got."</p><hr/><p>At that moment, Mo, Terry, LJ, and Felicity arrived and saw the situation play out.</p><p>"Well, there he is," Mo glared. "With those jerks from school."</p><p>"You go to school with <em>those</em> guys?" LJ asked. "They look like they got held back like five or six times."</p><p>"I blame the smoking and drinking." Mo replied.</p><p>"Stuff stunts your growth," remarked Terry. "But not as bad as the Splicing craze. Still, how exactly are we gonna convince Unc to snap out of his funk and come back with us?"</p><p>"We should remind him of why he has his friends... His true, true friends." Felicity suggested.</p><p>"Good thinking," replied LJ, as he and the others came inside. "Let's hope it works."</p><p>Atticus smirked to his rebel friends as they hung out together.</p><p>"See who your real friends are now?" Rex asked.</p><p>"Yeah," Atticus smirked. "This is the bomb diggity."</p><p>The others groaned a bit from what he just said.</p><p>"We gotta teach you some new phrases," sighed Spike. "In the meantime, let's light a few up, get some cold ones, and then we'll go looting."</p><p>"Yeah!" Atticus replied.</p><p>"NO!" Mo cried out.</p><p>Everyone soon looked over to see Mo with the others who came to stop Atticus.</p><p>"Great, those little worms are back." Bone complained.</p><p>"Well, these worms have plenty of bite." replied Terry, smashing a nearby stool and taking one of the legs as a weapon.</p><p>"So come and see which of us is the worm, and which is the fish!" LJ added, taking a stance.</p><p>"All right, you asked for this!" Rex huffed.</p><p>"Guys...?" Atticus asked wearily.</p><p>"Atticus, you're way too smart to be this stupid." Mo told him about his new friends.</p><p>"No kidding," replied Terry as he flipped Spike over his shoulders. "If we didn't care about you, we wouldn't have come to look for ya!"</p><p>Rex broke a bottle and came towards Mo. Mo yelped as she backed up against the wall as Rex tried to cut her with the bottle.</p><p>"Hey! Cut that out!" Atticus cried out.</p><p>"Yeah, cut it out!" Rex smirked. "We're Atticus's friends now!"</p><p>"GET AWAY FROM HER!" LJ roared as he rammed Rex into the wall. "With friends like <em>you</em>, who needs enemies?"</p><p>Mo sighed with relief from her trouble.</p><p>"Shame, shame." Felicity told Atticus.</p><p>"You guys don't need me anyway," Atticus firmly pouted. "I just mess everything up. I can't even concentrate anymore."</p><p>"Look, that's just because you're dealing with your parental issues, and I can understand," replied Mo. "But hanging out with a bunch of delinquents isn't gonna help that. If anything, it'll make things worse."</p><p>"Besides, you really think these guys are gonna have your back when the cops show up?" added LJ.</p><p>Atticus just let out a snort of anger with disgust as he rolled his eyes, though he actually seemed a little sad deep down. </p><p>"Look, when I became part of your group, I made a promise: to stick with you through thick and thin," replied Mo to Atticus. "If something is <em>your</em> problem, then it's <em>my</em> problem too. I love you, Atticus Fudo, and nothing will ever change that."</p><p>"I love you too, Mo," Atticus said bashfully. "I'm just going through a rough time and I don't know what to do anymore."</p><p>"Well... Lucky for you that you're not gonna go through it alone," replied Mo. "Me and the others will help you get through it, and figure out a solution for your parental dilemma."</p><p>"I'm sorry, Mo," Atticus said. "I just feel like ever since I found out this mystery, it's like I can't do anything right anymore."</p><p>"Well... Admitting you goofed up is the first step to fixing things." replied Terry.</p><p>"And besides, at least you found your parents," replied Mo. "I don't have that kind of chance... And neither does Lionel."</p><p>Atticus looked soft from that. Mo smiled softly at him back. The two seemed to hug each other as Atticus sniffled a bit with tearful eyes.</p><p>"You want more? I didn't think so!" Felicity glared. "You idiotic jerks!"</p><p>"Let's scram!" remarked Rex, as he got up, and scampered out.</p><p>"What about Fudo?" asked Spike.</p><p>"What <em>about</em> him?" retorted Bone. "He's dead weight!!"</p><p>Atticus glared a bit from that.</p><p>"What did we tell ya?" Terry said to Atticus.</p><p>"Hmph," Atticus snorted. "No wonder my conscience plagued my head about meeting those dicks."</p><p>"Some friends," remarked LJ. "So... You ready to fix your goof, Unc?"</p><p>"Yeah, I think so," Atticus replied. "Think Lionel will forgive me though?"</p><p>"After how you flipped out on him?" asked Terry. "It's a slim chance, but better than no chance at all."</p><p>"Plus you called him a jerk when you said he started it," Felicity added. "Yes, I heard you."</p><p>"Oh, I wasn't talking about him," Atticus sighed. "I was talking about me."</p><p>"Well, I doubt he knew that," replied Mo. "So you might wanna clarify that."</p><p>"Well, you know when you're mad, you can't think straight." Atticus said.</p><p>"Oh, yeah, I know," Mo replied. "I used to get mad all the time long before I met all of you guys."</p><p>"Hopefully Mother and the others are having better luck convincing Father to return," remarked Felicity. "We should join them."</p><p>"Wherever they might be." Terry added.</p><p>"Though, I might have an idea." LJ replied.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>
    <em>In the Other Realm...</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>"Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring banana phone~," Thor was heard singing to himself as he seemed to be baking a banana cream pie. "Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring banana phone, I've got this feeling, so appealing, For us to get together and sing. Sing!~" Just then, he heard a small thump, followed by the sound of his sister Phoebe watching "Maggie and the Ferocious Beast" on Nick Jr. "Hmm... Sounds like I have company..." The warlock teen said to himself as he put his pie in the oven and dashed off to see what was going on. "Bebe, was that you?" he then asked his little sister.</p><p>"No..." replied Phoebe, as Lionel was now on the couch, and his costume looked torn and moth-eaten, with him now having a five o'clock shadow.</p><p>"Oh, hai, Lionel." Thor said.</p><p>"Yeah... I dunno where he came from, but he smells like you and Daddy on Super Bowl Sunday." Phoebe told her big brother.</p><p>Lionel let out a low, sad groan as he settled in to watch television on the sofa.</p><p>Thor came over next to him with his cheeks puffed. "Hey, Mr. Grumpy Gus~..." he greeted with a cutesy baby voice. "What's gotcha so blue?"</p><p>"Blue's Clues is coming up next." Phoebe giggled.</p><p>"I'm sure he is, Bebe, but I gotta talk with my buddy now." Thor told his sister.</p><p>Phoebe thought. "Hmm... Okay." she replied as she moved to the carpet to make room.</p><p>"Thank you," Thor said before he jumped over the couch to sit next to Lionel. "Wanna chat, li'l buddy?"</p><p>Lionel sighed. "...Okay..."</p><p>"Talk to me," Thor smiled. "I'm listening."</p><p>Phoebe smiled as she looked oblivious while watching her shows on the TV.</p><hr/><p>And so Lionel explained what happened. "...And then I got so mad... I left." he finished.</p><p>"Oh... I'm so sorry..." Thor said. "Also, it doesn't sound like Atticus to do all of that. Why, I think if someone would make a bonehead move, it would be me."</p><p>"I wanted to help, but he let us fall," replied Lionel. "And after I called him out... He had the balls to actually say to my face, 'Oh wait, you don't HAVE any parents'!"</p><p>"Atticus said that?!" Thor asked as he recoiled slightly.</p><p>Lionel gave an angry nod.</p><p>"Aw... I'm so sorry..." Thor said as he came to reach out for a hug. "I'm sure he didn't mean it, but I'm sorry that had to happen to ya."</p><p>Lionel didn't say anything as he just hugged Thor in response.</p><p>Thor hugged Lionel back. "Why don't you stay here a while?" he then suggested with a whisper. "I'm sure it'll get better later, but we shouldn't try anything beyond hugging since I'm babysitting right now and getting ready for Sunday night dinner."</p><p>Lionel nodded silently.</p><p>"Ooh, you look so poor and sad, but I could still snuggle up with you by the fireplace on Christmas night if I could~" Thor gushed a bit as he looked down at Lionel.</p><p>Lionel blushed visibly at that, and smiled a little. "...Thanks..." he replied.</p><p>"Sure thing," Thor said. "Could I get you a soda or something?"</p><p>"Alright." replied Lionel as Cherry and the others arrived a few minutes later.</p><hr/><p>Thor came back to the kitchen a bit.</p><p>"Um, hey..." Cherry said to Lionel. "Took us a while to find this place. I couldn't remember which way to turn from here or to the Pleasure Dome... Whatever that place is."</p><p>"...Okay." Lionel replied.</p><p>"Um... It'll be okay," Cherry said. "Why don't we talk a bit?"</p><p>"Uh, no offense, Cherry, but I think Lionel wants some alone time right now," Thor said as he walked over with a cooler of sodas. "Okay, buddy; I got Dr. Pepper, Coke, Sprite, some Crush, Root Beer... Whatya thirsty for?"</p><p>"Crush would be cool," replied Lionel. "I'm not in a picky mood right now."</p><p>"All right," Thor said as he took out a can to pass over to him. "Hope you're cool with orange."</p><p>Lionel nodded as he cracked it open and began to sip it quietly.</p><p>"...There's always a rainbow at the end of a cloudy day?" Cherry said to him, trying to help warm him up a bit from the argument.</p><p>Lionel looked at her, as if she had grown a second head.</p><p>"Ugh..." Cherry groaned with defeat.</p><p>"I think you should go back to where you came from," Thor told Cherry. "He's not in the mood, so go back, or you're gonna be a talking seat cushion."</p><p>"Uh, wait! I have a reason why I'm here!" Cherry replied. "It's Atticus. He's really sorry about what happened."</p><p>Lionel shot up with a glare. "Oh, IS he now?" he asked with a scowl.</p><p>"Erm... Yes..." Cherry replied. "But, uh, don't take my word for it."</p><p>Atticus looked over from where he stood as he looked a bit crestfallen.</p><p>"She says you came to apologize." Lionel spat.</p><p>"I did," Atticus said. "I'm sorry I called out on you like I did, but I haven't been able to concentrate properly recently. I just feel like I've lost my touch with this family mystery I've been forced to solve while also being a superhero-in-training and a high school student. I let my pressure get to me, and you're my friend."</p><p>"Oh, am I really?" asked Lionel. "Here I thought <em>I</em> was just a jerk with no parents."</p><p>"Lionel, don't be like that, it was stupid and I wish I could take it back," Atticus sighed. "I'm just stressed out and I'm sorry that I treated you badly for saying that."</p><p>"I know I act like not having a family doesn't bother me, but it really <em>does</em>," replied Lionel. "You think I <em>like</em> knowing that I have nobody to care for me or have my back? Or to teach me about life itself and the many wonders it holds? Not only do you have adoptive parents, you have blood-related parents. And what you said hurt me. More than any physical weapon ever could."</p><p>"I know..." Atticus sighed with his eyes shut.</p><p>Thor pouted as he tried to comfort Lionel, though glared a bit at Atticus with a growl.</p><p>"...But I forgive you," replied Lionel. "I knew you were going through rough stuff, and I had no right to yell at you. So what if you dropped us to help Superman fight? ...I guess I had it covered. I shouldn't have said any of what I said."</p><p>"I'm sorry I left you guys like that," Atticus said. "I don't know what I was thinking... I should've at least landed us to safety before going off like that."</p><p>Lionel nodded. "Then I guess we're both sorry." he replied.</p><p>"Yeah..." Atticus said. "Erm... It's okay, Thor... You can stop being mad at me."</p><p>Thor looked to Lionel, still glaring though like he was waiting for an okay to stop being mad, looking as mad as a hippo with a hernia.</p><p>Lionel patted Thor on the head. "It's alright, man; I forgive him," he replied. "If I was still angry, I'd have socked him around the planet three times over to get it out of my system." he added with a chuckle.</p><p>Thor soon smiled brightly from that.</p><p>"You look terrifying when you're angry." Cherry told Thor.</p><p>"Mom says I get it from her side of the family." Thor stated proudly.</p><p>Lionel extended his arm to Atticus. "Need a hand... Super-pal?" he asked with a smile.</p><p>Atticus looked over with a small sniffle and a small smile back. The two soon reached out with smiles to each other as they began to join hands and shook on it.</p><p>"Oh-kay then..." Lionel beamed. "Ladies, gentlemen... <strong>LET'S GO SAVE THE WORLD!</strong>" he announced, spinning back into his costume.</p><p>"Yeah!" The others agreed to that.</p><p>"I'm sorry, guys, I'd go with ya, but I gotta watch Bebe," Thor said. "Do me a favor though?"</p><p>"What's that?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"Kick that evil butt extra hard for me." Thor narrowed his eyes.</p><p>Lionel kissed Thor's hand. "Gladly, my friend!" he replied. "And now... WE GO!" he added, making himself and the others vanish with a flourish of his cape.</p><p>Thor waved to them before turning back with a small smirk. "Ya saw nuthin', Bebe."</p><p>Phoebe shrugged before turning back to watch "Blue's Clues".</p><hr/><p>Eventually, the group returned to the main room... Only to see the Justice League lying on the ground with electric energy surging over their bodies.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"There's a continuous charge surging through them," explained Emerald Empress. "It mocks Kryptonite energy so that even the so-called 'Man of Steel' is helpless. Now to finish them and all the would-be heroes spawned by this vile star system."</p><p>As she said that, she began to move more energy as it looked like that she and the other villains were about to win.</p><p>"Not if we can help it!" Saiya Man glared.</p><p>"Ah... The Children of Justice are back, are they?" Emerald Empress smirked.</p><p>"That's right!" Bat-Mite added, as the eyeball shot into the sky and rocketed towards the sun.</p><p>"In three minutes... Their history stops," said Emerald Empress. "And ours begins." As she and her cronies entered the time bubble, suddenly, a chain and shackle made of green light energy clamped around the bubble, keeping them from escaping into time.</p><p>"Limelight..." Star Boy exclaimed.</p><p>"J.C.!" Terry grinned. "You came back!"</p><p>"I had to." Jessica replied.</p><p>Emerald Empress looked up to her with a glare. "Stop her, Validus!" she then shouted to the others as Jessica was foiling their plans.</p><p>Validus soon shot a light from his brain towards Jessica, but the girl shielded herself which shot the blasts all over the place.</p><p>"Watch this." Jessica smirked to the others as she tossed around the ball and chain around to hit many walls before the bubble was burst, letting out the Fatal 5 from the crashes.</p><p>"IDIOT! You've doomed us all!" E.E. scowled, as Persuader got his axe and attacked Jessica.</p><p>Luckily, he found himself blindsided by an attack from Batman Beyond, and Tharok was assaulted by Quad Star and Black Sliver.</p><p>"That's quite enough of that!" Black Silver glared. "Unless maybe you'd like to see if you are afraid of the dark again!"</p><p>Mano tried to attack Jessica, but Energex sapped his power and smacked him back towards Emerald Empress. The older heroes of the Justice League looked thankful towards their younger helpers. Saiya Man soon tackled Viladus and began to wrestle him.</p><p>"That's our boy." Superman smiled to Wonder Woman.</p><p>"Indeed." Wonder Woman agreed.</p><p>Jessica finally made the roof cave in before shielding the others from the destruction and pulling them out.</p><p>"You guys are alright." Saiya Man smiled at Batman Beyond, Energex, Black Silver, and Quad Star.</p><p>"Likewise." Quad Star replied.</p><p>"I just hope it isn't too late...." Superman said as he flew up to stop the eyeball.</p><p>Star Boy turned to Jessica. "You have to get me up there." he said.</p><p>"Uh... You sure about that?" Lady Gothika asked.</p><p>"Yeah, it might be risky." Nature Girl added.</p><p>"Why? What can you--" Jessica was about to say.</p><p>"Star Boy. Star... Boy." Star Boy stated like it was obvious.</p><p>"Thomas, Superman--" Jessica tried to tell him.</p><p>"Can't do this," Star Boy told her. "I can."</p><p>"He has a good point," replied Batman Beyond. "Space is his element."</p><p>Quad Star began playing "Savin' the Day" from the <em>Ghostbusters</em> soundtrack in response.</p><p>"He must take after his father." Lady Gothika remarked.</p><p>"You have no idea." Energex and Black Silver replied to her.</p><p>"I felt like it was fitting," Quad Star replied. "Considering that <em>is</em> what he's doing."</p><p>"Let's hope he can still make it." Lady Gothika said as she adjusted her mask a little.</p><p>"I'm sure that he can." Batman Beyond told her.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, Superman was racing to stop the eyeball from reaching the Sun, but before he could grab it, he was sent flying by the burst of energy. In space, Jessica and Star Boy both watched as Superman tumbled backwards.</p><p>"Superman!" Jessica exclaimed before looking at her ring. "A construct... Something to hold it together!"</p><p>"It'd take a thousand Lanterns," replied Star Boy as he laid down. "And it can't be pushed back together. It has to be pulled... Held together."</p><p>"What are you saying?" asked Jessica.</p><p>Star Boy only gave a sad smile. "Goodbye." he replied.</p><p>"NO!" Jessica yelped as Star Boy began to crack through the sphere to leave. "Not like this!"</p><p>Star Boy could not be stopped.</p><p>"Stop it!" Jessica cried out.</p><p>"Don't you see, Limelight? I'm the only one who can do this." Star Boy told her.</p><p>"Thomas!" Jessica looked sad.</p><p>"It's Star Boy. I'm a superhero." Star Boy replied as the sphere cracked a bit more as he was about to leave towards the sun.</p><p>The sphere shattered, and Star Boy plummeted peacefully towards the surface of the Sun, as its flames seemed to consume his body. The force of the Sun began pulling Jessica down, but luckily Superman managed to pull her to safety. On the surface, the green cracks faded, and the Sun returned to normal. Star Boy smiled as he simply accepted his fate. Jessica looked emotional once she was briefly let go of. Superman placed a hand on her shoulder with sympathy as she looked tearfully back to him before they left space.</p><hr/><p>Soon after, a few days later, the Justice League had gathered to hold a funeral for Star Boy.</p><p>"Martin Luther King said, only in darkness can you see the stars, and that's kind of true," said Jessica. "For all the stars, except one. I think none of us will be able to look at the sun again without thinking about what Thomas did for us, for <em>all</em> of us. But he did even more for me. He told me I was brave until I believed it. No offense to anyone here, but Star Boy is my hero."</p><p>The others bowed their heads a bit emotionally and grimly from that. However, there were a few sparks in the sky then.</p><p>"...Did someone just go back to the future?" Lady Gothika asked.</p><p>"I don't think so." Saiyaman told her.</p><p>Three spheres soon shot out of the clouds with some company inside of each of them.</p><p>"Hey, it's the others!" Quad Star grinned as the rest of the Legion of Superheroes arrived.</p><p>"Jessica Cruz," said Saturn Girl. "It's an honor."</p><p>Jessica smiled softly from that.</p><p>"This is crazy." Lady Gothika remarked.</p><p>"Don't stare. You're going to see a lot of strange things," Batman told her. "Now that you're a part of the Justice League. The same goes for Miss Martian."</p><p>Miss Martian looked very happy from that news.</p><p>"It also looks like Jessica has gone down in history." Saiya Man said as the Legion of Superheroes smiled at the girl.</p><p>"REALLY?" asked Miss Martian.</p><p>"We voted," replied Batman. "...I never said <em>how</em> I voted." he added with a hint of a smirk.</p><p>The others had small smiles all around, though still a little emotional from the loss of Star Boy. Saiya Man and Nature Girl held hands together as they looked out to the distance together.</p><p>"I think we're gonna be okay," replied Quad Star. "Just as long as <em>you're</em> okay. Just... Try and be there for Mr. Thor--... Er, Second Dad, okay? I hear tonight is Sunday dinner."</p><p>"That's right..." Lady Gothika memorized.</p><p>"I guess you guys are going back to the future then?" Lady Gothika asked.</p><p>"We must," Black Silver replied. "It was so good to see you though."</p><p>"Indeed," Energex added. "Farewell, Mother and Father... As well as Uncle and Auntie."</p><p>"See you in the future, I suppose." Nature Girl replied.</p><p>The four came to hug the others real quick as they had to leave.</p><p>"It was very... Educational." Batman Beyond chuckled a bit.</p><p>"Sure, say it like <em>that</em>." Quad Star smirked.</p><hr/><p>Soon after, the Legion of Superheroes returned to their own time.</p><p>"Well... I dunno about <em>you</em> guys," replied Lionel. "But I could eat."</p><p>"Yeah, I'm a little hungry too." Cherry added.</p><p>"Are you guys on your way out?" Batman asked.</p><p>"Yeah, we promised a friend that we'd come over for dinner to help him out with something." Cherry replied.</p><p>"Just don't forget about us." Superman smirked a bit.</p><p>"Oh, we won't." Atticus said bashfully, though he still had his personal thing on his mind, but tried not to let it bother him right now.</p><p>Lionel looked over at Atticus. "Hey... What if your parents got to spend time with you on some days, and Supes and Wondy got to spend time with you on the other days?" he suggested. "But on one day, you can <em>all</em> spend time together!"</p><p>"Hmm..." Atticus paused thoughtfully. "It might work... I'll probably think this over around dinner time."</p><p>"It does sound good though." Mo smiled.</p><p>"It does." Atticus smiled back.</p><p>"Glad I could help," replied Lionel. "Now let's head out and meet up at Thor's place in an hour and a half. I think this is a formal thing."</p><p>"Yeah, most Sunday family dinner nights are." Cherry added.</p><p>"Cherry, if you would like, I have some fancy clothes you could borrow." Batman offered.</p><p>"For a girl?" Cherry asked him.</p><p>"Well, yes," Batman replied. "They were my mother's."</p><p>"Hm..." Cherry shrugged, not too bothered with that, though she thought it was thoughtful of him to do that for her.</p><hr/><p>The group soon split up to get ready to go to Thor's place while the family was getting ready for their company later.</p><p>"Oh-kay then..." Lionel muttered. "Do I go with the blue tie, or maybe the red? Or maybe the yellow one...."</p><p>"Personally, I'd go with blue." Cherry said as she checked her closet to find fancy clothes that used to belong to Martha as she took a look at the dresses.</p><p>"Hmm... Okay then!" Lionel replied as he put on a blue bow tie to go with his cobalt-blue tux and pants.</p><p>"I sorta like this one," Cherry said as she held out a black dress with purple streaks. "Whatya think?"</p><p>"...I love it!" Lionel replied, giving two thumb's up. "It's definitely you!"</p><p>"Thanks," Cherry said. "I really like how the black and purple compliment each other."</p><p>"You and me both," replied Lionel. "Now I'll wait for you to finish, and we can head out together."</p><p>"All right," Cherry said. "To tell you the truth, I'm a little nervous about meeting Thor's family."</p><p>"Yeah, same here," replied Lionel. "Especially due to... Well, recent revelations. I'm just worried that they might not approve."</p><p>"Oh... Yeah..." Cherry agreed softly. "I'd love them to right away, but... Some people can be so judgemental... It's sad how some parents basically disown their child for being attracted to the same sex."</p><p>"From what I've heard, it can happen rather frequently," nodded Lionel as he tied on his bow tie. "Sometimes it takes people a little while to adapt."</p><p>"Right..." Cherry said as she wore a special necklace from her grandmother as she decided to wear it for tonight. "All right, I think I'm good to go."</p><p>Lionel gave a happy howl, and a long whistle in response. "Solid 20 out of 10!" he applauded. "Ready when you are!"</p><p>"All right, let's hit the road, Jack." Cherry replied.</p><hr/><p>Lionel twitched his nose, and then they vanished, ending up on the front doorstep of the Moltenscar house, accompanied by Mo, Atticus (who was with both sets of parents now)... And Sabrina, Hilda, Drell, Skippy, and Zelda.</p><p>"...Didn't expect to hear from you again," Lionel told Sabrina. "Especially after you stopped hanging out with us for some reason."</p><p>"Well... To be honest... I felt jealous." Sabrina said to him as she rubbed her arm bashfully.</p><p>"Yeah?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"Yeah," Sabrina said softly. "It feels like... Hilda and Zelda don't pay much attention to me anymore."</p><p>Hilda and Zelda glanced at each other, feeling pretty guilty.</p><p>"I had a feeling this would happen," sighed Lionel. "Though I figured it'd play out differently."</p><p>Sabrina let out a small sigh. Skippy gave a smile to her, giving her a tissue.</p><p>"Oh, that's okay," Sabrina told him. "I'll be alright."</p><p>Skippy then put the tissue back in his pocket.</p><p>"I guess this is on us." sighed Hilda.</p><p>"Yeah... And I'm supposed to be the intelligent one." Zelda added.</p><p>"Yeah, it is your fault." Drell said bluntly.</p><p>"WHAT?!" Hilda and Zelda replied.</p><p>"What?" Drell said to them. "You two have been crazy lately with each other. You barely spend time with Sabrina anymore, so all she really does these days is talk to her cat."</p><p>"We're not cut out for this caretaker thing, are we?" Hilda asked.</p><p>"I guess not," replied Zelda. "We're sorry that we neglected you, Sabrina. Edward trusted us to look after you, and we haven't done a very good job."</p><p>"You just pay attention to the others," Sabrina pouted. "But I'm your family."</p><p>"We know," Hilda said. "We'll work something out after dinner."</p><p>"Hmm... Okay..." Sabrina said, trying not to cry.</p><p>"Well... I figure one of us should ring the doorbell." replied Lionel as he reached out and pushed the button.</p><p>"Skippy, why didn't you ring the doorbell?" Drell asked before hitting the back of his head.</p><p>Skippy flinched before he glared from that a bit.</p><p>"Don't be mean to your friend." Emily told Drell.</p><p>"Aw, he knows I don't mean it." Drell shrugged off.</p><p>A woman with dark purple hair soon got the door before beaming. "Hey, it's my favorite big brother!"</p><p>"I'm your <em>only</em> big brother, Moxie." Drell smirked.</p><p>"I know," Moxie smirked back. "Makes it easy to pick my favorite brother."</p><p>"Nice to meet you," said Lionel, extending a hand. "You must be Thor's mother. Lionel Schwartz, that's my name."</p><p>"That's me... Oh... I know this one..." Moxie said as she saw his hand and reached out to shake it. "I'm Moxie Moltenscar. You can all call me Moxie if you would like."</p><p>"It's good to see you again, Moxie," Hilda smiled to the fellow witch woman. "I don't think I've seen you since the late 17th century."</p><p>"I could say the same thing about you, Hilda." Moxie smiled back.</p><p>"I think we ought to come inside," said Mo. "I mean, if you're gonna invite us in."</p><p>"Oh! My bad!" replied Moxie. "Please, come inside!"</p><p>"Thank you kindly, ma'am." Lionel tipped his derby hat as they walked in.</p><p>Moxie giggled as she let them all come inside. "There sure are a lot of you, but luckily, there's plenty of pot roast for everybody." she then told them.</p><p>"Who doesn't love a good pot roast?" Drell replied as he walked inside his sister's house.</p><p>"I'm a little sick of the taste, but a little ketchup improves it." Sabrina shrugged as they each took a seat at the table.</p><p>"Dinner's about ready," Moxie smiled. "Thor's such a sweetheart. He offered to help make dessert."</p><p>They heard grunting in the living room to see a bit of a big, strong guy there, lifting his own weights.</p><p>"Zolten, stop fiddling with that equipment and come wash up for dinner." Moxie told her husband.</p><p>"Just a couple more reps, hon!" came the man's voice.</p><p>Lionel began to look visibly sweaty at that.</p><p>"Ah, Zolten," Drell smirked as he crossed his arms. "I remember when I first met him, he was a feeble, weak guy who was like 98 pounds. He had to prove himself worthy to date my sister; these days, we have arm-wrestling matches with each other every time I come over."</p><p>"Cool story, Bro." Cherry muttered.</p><p>"This is an interesting house for sure," Diana said to Clark as she adjusted her glasses which was Clark's advice so no one else would recognize her as Wonder Woman. "Looks like something from a horror movie."</p><p>"I'll say." Clark chuckled a bit from that.</p><p>"Awright then!" Zolten smirked as he came into the dining room. "Ready to go!"</p><p>"You must be Thor's father," Lionel replied, his palms now slick with sweat. "Nice to meet you."</p><p>"Good to meet ya too," Zolten replied as he shook Lionel's hand vigorously. "It sure is good to see this kid making some friends in the Mortal Realm. He and his sister pretty much grew up in the Supernatural Realm, so they have a bit of a hard time being around mortals. We just thought this would be for the best, but maybe when Phoebe's ready enough, she could go to school like her big brother instead of having a tutor over."</p><p>"I wish her all the best." Lionel replied.</p><p>"Oh, so do we." Zolten chuckled a bit.</p><p>"Children? Dinner!" Moxie called out upstairs.</p><p>"Coming!" Two voices called back.</p><p>"So... Glasses...?" Patrick asked Diana.</p><p>"Clark's idea." Diana smirked slightly.</p><p>"They look smart on you both." replied Emily.</p><p>"Thanks." Clark replied.</p><p>Atticus smiled as he liked to see his parents getting along with each other like this. Thor walked over with a small book in his hands, wearing a dark green suit with some white fringe, like something out of the Victorian era as Phoebe curtsied to the others in a magenta-colored dress.</p><p>"Aww... How cute..." Mo cooed.</p><p>"Thank you." Phoebe smiled.</p><p>"Ahem..." Thor cleared his throat as he held out his hand. "Thank you all for coming to my home this evening. My family and I appreciate it and we hope you enjoy your evening meal with us as well as celebrate friends, family, and a feast."</p><p>"Th-Th-Thanks, w-we w-w-will." Lionel managed to say as Thor sat on his left side.</p><p>"Ugh, I hate this suit though," Thor whispered to Lionel as he gripped on his collar. "Uncle Drell used to wear it when he was around my age."</p><p>"Lemme get that." replied Lionel as he snapped his fingers and loosened the suit.</p><p>Thor sighed in relief from that. "Thanks, Baby Bat." he then said with a smile.</p><p>Lionel blushed. "Aw... It's nothing," he replied. "Anything for my Storm Cloud."</p><p>Thor and Lionel shared a sweet smile with each other.</p><p>"You two look like when Unca Drell looks at Auntie Hilda." Phoebe said to her brother and his friend.</p><p>Lionel nearly choked on his saliva at that.</p><p>"Mind your swax, ya bee." Thor told his sister.</p><p>Phoebe stuck her tongue out.</p><p>"Hey, hey, hey, none of that," Zolten said sharply. "Let's have some dinner, huh?"</p><p>"Yeah, good idea," Lionel replied casually as he sat in his seat. "So, what's on the menu tonight?"</p><p>"Well, I made some of my famous pot roast, but there's also some grilled chicken for those who don't want that." Moxie smiled.</p><p>"Erm... Sounds great..." Mo smiled sheepishly.</p><p>"There's also some salads for those who don't want meat." Moxie smiled back.</p><p>"Oh! Great!" Mo beamed.</p><p>"Nice!" Lionel replied. "Got anything noodle-related?"</p><p>"Of course," Moxie smiled. "There's noodles too with some mashed potatoes, honey buttered rolls, mixed vegetables, and for dessert, Thornton made some banana cream pie."</p><p>"All by myself!" Thor piped up like a child.</p><p>"Good job, Shorty." Drell told his nephew.</p><p>"Awesomeness!" Lionel exclaimed. "So! Much! Awesomeness! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"</p><p>"Heh, you're welcome," Moxie smiled. "I hope you like it."</p><p>"All right, let's dig in!" Zolten proclaimed.</p><p>"So, when are you gonna tell them?" Cherry asked Thor.</p><p>"I was hoping maybe after we eat," Thor said bashfully. "I'm trying to tell myself to stay strong though."</p><p>"Sounds good to me." replied Lionel as he began filling his plate with generous helpings of food.</p><p>Everyone soon began to do the same as they were free to eat.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You do love me though, right?" Sabrina asked her aunts.</p><p>"Of course we do, Sabrina," Zelda replied. "You're like a daughter to me and your Aunt Hilda."</p><p>"Why else would your parents let us raise you?" Hilda smiled.</p><p>"Because Sophia lives in Rome and you guys don't like to talk about Vesta?" Drell smirked.</p><p>"...Sure, put it like that..." Hilda muttered as she also began filling her plate. "Honestly, I think I'd be better off starting a family of my own..."</p><p>"You should before your biological clock gets away from you like it did to me..." Zelda frowned softly. "About 350 years ago."</p><p>"Zelda, how old are you?" Atticus asked.</p><p>"Would you believe I'm actually 900?" Zelda replied.</p><p>"Uh... No." Mo said with wide eyes from that.</p><p>"Speaking as someone who lives more in the Mortal Realm, that took me by surprise," replied Lionel. "At best, you look like around late 20's-early 30's."</p><p>"Oh, I wish!" Zelda replied. "I feel like I'm not as attractive as I once was... Unlike Vesta."</p><p>"I think you look gorgeous, Zelda." Cherry said.</p><p>"Oh... Thank you, Cherry," Zelda gave a small smile. "That's very sweet of you to say."</p><p>"No problem," Cherry replied.</p><p>"Well... Even if you can't have children of your own, you can adopt." replied Lionel as everyone finished eating.</p><p>"And besides, Hil; I guess it <em>would</em> be neat having a kid around." replied Drell.</p><p>"Oh... You'd let that happen?" Hilda cooed to him.</p><p>"I'm up for it if you are," Drell smirked as she leaned up against him. "Maybe we could try after dessert."</p><p>"I don't wanna hear this!" Cherry cried out to them.</p><p>"No one's asking you to listen." Hilda tutted to her.</p><p>"Then STOP TALKING ABOUT IT AT THE DINNER TABLE!" Cherry groaned.</p><p>Drell and Hilda just chuckled to each other like school kids.</p><p>Cherry rolled her eyes from that. "Oy."</p><p>"Okay, if there isn't anything else... I'd like to share something with the family..." Thor said as he tried to sound mature.</p><p>Everyone sat down and turned to face Thor.</p><p>"Ahem..." Thor cleared his throat. "Um... What is love anyway?"</p><p>"Thornton?" Moxie called.</p><p>"Mom... Dad... Bebe... Everybody else..." Thor sighed shakily before he spoke strongly again. "I've found love... It's made my stomach empty and my heart full."</p><p>"Whoa," said Hilda. "That sounded very profound."</p><p>Thor looked to Atticus.</p><p>"Very deep and very serious." Atticus defined for him.</p><p>"Oh... Well, thank you!" Thor beamed from that.</p><p>"Well, that's great, son!" Zolten laughed as he slapped Thor's back a bit. "Who's the lucky girl?"</p><p>An awkward silence drifted over the group.</p><p>"Well... Actually... It's a girl... <em>And</em> a boy..." Thor replied.</p><p>"Oh, of course it's a girl!" Zolten beamed. "Why wouldn't you--... Uh... What?" he then asked. "What did you say?"</p><p>"I'm in a pierogi relationship!" Thor replied.</p><p>"I believe you mean <em>polygamy</em>." Zelda corrected.</p><p>"Uh, yeah, that." Thor said from that.</p><p>"...You love a boy...?" Zolten asked as that seemed to have a negative tone.</p><p>"Oh, man... I knew this was gonna go badly." Lionel gulped as he ducked, putting on an army helmet.</p><p>"Son...?" Zolten asked Thor. "Are you sure about this?"</p><p>"Yes, Dad," Thor stated as strong as he could. "I love Cherry <em>and</em> Lionel." he then wrapped arms around both before kissing their cheeks.</p><p>"...Well... I guess that explains why he likes watching <em>My Little Pony</em> with his sister..." Drell spoke up.</p><p>"Among other things..." replied Hilda.</p><p>Lionel glanced around. "...Oh, jeez..." he sighed.</p><p>"Oh... This is a surprise..." Moxie said. "Thornton, are you sure--"</p><p>"<em>Yes</em>, I'm sure," Thor replied. "I really feel good around these two and they feel good around me."</p><p>"Hmm..." Zolten hummed firmly from that.</p><p>"Zolten, please..." Moxie told her husband.</p><p>"I'm sorry if this upsets you," replied Lionel. "Especially after you two were so willing to invite us to dinner."</p><p>"Well, I'm not really upset, I'm just a bit more... Surprised..." Moxie told him softly.</p><p>"Hmm..." Zolten hummed sharply.</p><p>"Zol, I don't wanna tell you how to raise your children, but if they're happy, you should be happy too." Drell told his brother-in-law as he looked him firmly in the eyes through his glasses.</p><p>Zolten looked on quietly in response as if lost in thought.</p><p>"I... Should probably go." said Lionel.</p><p>"Oh, please... Please don't go..." Thor pleaded before glaring at his father. "It's people like you that disgust me, Dad! I don't wanna hate you!"</p><p>Zolten looked shocked at that, as Thor went after Lionel, who was sitting on the porch outside.</p><hr/><p>"Heeey, buddy..." Thor said as he came out to see Lionel. "I'm sure Dad'll warm up to you soon... He's probably just having a rough day. Mom seems to be okay with it so far... So does Uncle Drell... I didn't think that he would approve of all people."</p><p>Lionel looked up at him. "Hey... At least he approved," he said. "You, uh... Maybe wanna catch a movie sometime?"</p><p>"I think we could do that," Thor smiled. "Cherry too or just you an' me?"</p><p>"She can come too," replied Lionel. "After all, it'd be at her new place. She lives with Ms. Kyle now."</p><p>"Oh, that's official now?" Thor smiled. "No doubt that she'll be happy from that, huh?"</p><p>"Oh, for sure!" Lionel grinned. "Also, I picked the movie. Transformers 1986!"</p><p>"All right then!" Thor beamed from that.</p><p>"Thornton?" A tiny voice spoke up.</p><p>"Huh? Oh, hey," Thor said as he saw his little sister. "What're you doing here?"</p><p>"I wanted to give you somethin' that I just made..." Phoebe said bashfully with her hands behind her back.</p><p>"Hmm... What is it, kid?" Thor asked.</p><p>Phoebe looked at them before taking out a crayon drawing of Thor, Lionel, and Cherry together, holding hands with hearts all around them. "Here." she then said with a cute smile.</p><p>"D'awww...!!" Lionel gushed. "Thank you, Phoebe!! I'll treasure this <em>forever</em>!"</p><p>"You're welcome." Phoebe smiled.</p><p>Thor ruffled up his sister's hair a bit.</p><p>"Hey, quit it!" Phoebe cried out with a giggle.</p><p>"Aw... Just for that, you get to be flower girl at our someday wedding." Lionel beamed.</p><p>"I do?" Phoebe beamed back happily from that.</p><p>"Yep!" Lionel nodded.</p><p>"Oh, yay!" Phoebe beamed.</p><p>"Congrats, Doodlebug," Thor chuckled. "So, uh, do you have any questions."</p><p>"Well, I'm a little curious," Phoebe replied. "I didn't know two boys could love each other like one boy and one girl."</p><p>"Yeah," replied Lionel. "It's actually very common."</p><p>"I never saw it before..." Cherry said. "Plus you both have a girlfriend?"</p><p>"You'll understand a little more when you're older," Thor told her. "I just hope you don't think any less of your big brother."</p><p>"I still think you're my big brother," Phoebe smiled. "No matter what you like."</p><p>Thor grinned as he hugged his little sister.</p><p>"Awwww..." Lionel gushed.</p><p>Cherry stared at the ground as she came to see them.</p><p>"Hi, Cherry." Phoebe smiled.</p><p>"Hey," Cherry said softly. "I thought I'd just see how you guys were doing."</p><p>"Well... We're doing good," replied Lionel. "You up for a movie day this Saturday?"</p><p>"Yeah, I think that's a pretty good idea," Cherry said. "As long as I get my homework done in time. Aunt Selina highly suggests that I do my homework right after school so I don't have to worry about it later."</p><p>"Sounds fair." Lionel replied.</p><p>"Well, I'm glad I have you, even if Dad might not like it." Thor said before pulling her into a hug.</p><p>"Guh!" Cherry gasped from the tight hug.</p><p>"Mm-mm! You are so snuggly, cuddly, buggly!" Thor beamed as he hugged her like a doll.</p><p>Cherry's legs flailed a bit as she looked trapped from the hug.</p><p>"Aww... Isn't that adorable?" Drell smirked as he came to see them.</p><p>"Take a picture, it'll last longer." Cherry muffled with deadpan.</p><p>"Maybe another day," replied Drell. "Skippy didn't bring his camera. Besides, you all are pretty cute together."</p><p>"Thank you for your blessing," Cherry muffled. "...Thor, if you wanna keep up this relationship, you better let me go now. I'm starting to see a dark tunnel with a bright light."</p><p>"You're the dark tunnel to MY bright light, Cherry..." Thor smiled as he held her longer before finally letting go.</p><p>Cherry plopped on the floor from that before breathing in deeply before breathing out slowly.</p><p>"And you guys are the sunshines on <em>my</em> cloudy days!" Lionel added as he kissed them both.</p><p>"I'm happy if you guys are," Drell told them. "Hey, I might seem dark and cold at times, but I have a heart."</p><p>"Oh, I knew that," Cherry said to him. "I just always assumed it was in a jar on your nightstand."</p><p>"I wonder about you sometimes," Drell rolled his eyes. "Though, I guess I can't be angry with you if my special little guy loves you."</p><p>Thor beamed as he and Lionel each put an arm around Cherry's shoulders, and they stared up at the night sky. Drell smiled to them as he came back inside as it seemed that the three would have a bright future together for the rest of their time together in a relationship. And they would all have more fun adventures together, but that would be another story. Many more, to be exact.</p><p>The End</p>
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